Darby Bible Translation

New American Standard Bible

Job's Final Appeal

I made a covenant with mine eyes; and how should I fix my regard upon a maid?

1

Job Asserts His Integrity

“I have made a covenant with my eyes;
How then could I gaze at a virgin?

2

For what would have been [my] portion of +God from above, and what the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

2

“And what is the portion of God from above
Or the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

3

Is not calamity for the unrighteous? and misfortune for the workers of iniquity?

3

“Is it not calamity to the unjust
And disaster to those who work iniquity?

4

Doth not he see my ways, and number all my steps?

4

“Does He not see my ways
And number all my steps?

5

If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot hath hasted to deceit,

5

“If I have walked with falsehood,
And my foot has hastened after deceit,

6

(Let me be weighed in an even balance, and +God will take knowledge of my blamelessness;)

6

Let Him weigh me with accurate scales,
And let God know my integrity.

7

If my step have turned out of the way, and my heart followed mine eyes, and if any blot cleaveth to my hands;

7

“If my step has turned from the way,
Or my heart followed my eyes,
Or if any spot has stuck to my hands,

8

Let me sow, and another eat; and let mine offspring be rooted out.

8

Let me sow and another eat,
And let my crops be uprooted.

9

If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, so that I laid wait at my neighbour's door,

9

“If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
Or I have lurked at my neighbor’s doorway,

10

Let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down upon her.

10

May my wife grind for another,
And let others kneel down over her.

11

For this is an infamy; yea, it is an iniquity [to be judged by] the judges:

11

“For that would be a lustful crime;
Moreover, it would be an iniquity punishable by judges.

12

For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.

12

“For it would be fire that consumes to Abaddon,
And would uproot all my increase.

13

If I have despised the cause of my bondman or of my bondmaid, when they contended with me,

13

“If I have despised the claim of my male or female slaves
When they filed a complaint against me,

14

What then should I do when God riseth up? and if he visited, what should I answer him?

14

What then could I do when God arises?
And when He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?

15

Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not One fashion us in the womb?

15

“Did not He who made me in the womb make him,
And the same one fashion us in the womb?

16

If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

16

“If I have kept the poor from their desire,
Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17

Or have eaten my morsel alone, so that the fatherless ate not thereof,

17

Or have eaten my morsel alone,
And the orphan has not shared it

18

(For from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided the [widow] from my mother's womb;)

18

(But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,
And from infancy I guided her),

19

If I have seen any perishing for want of clothing, or any needy without covering;

19

If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
Or that the needy had no covering,

20

If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my lambs;

20

If his loins have not thanked me,
And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

21

If I have lifted up my hand against an orphan, because I saw my help in the gate:

21

If I have lifted up my hand against the orphan,
Because I saw I had support in the gate,

22

[Then] let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone!

22

Let my shoulder fall from the socket,
And my arm be broken off at the elbow.

23

For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his excellency I was powerless.

23

“For calamity from God is a terror to me,
And because of His majesty I can do nothing.

24

If I have made gold my hope, or said to the fine gold, My confidence!

24

“If I have put my confidence in gold,
And called fine gold my trust,

25

If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;

25

If I have gloated because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had secured so much;

26

If I beheld the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in brightness,

26

If I have looked at the sun when it shone
Or the moon going in splendor,

27

And my heart have been secretly enticed, so that my mouth kissed my hand:

27

And my heart became secretly enticed,
And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,

28

This also would be an iniquity for the judge, for I should have denied the God who is above.

28

That too would have been an iniquity calling for judgment,
For I would have denied God above.

29

If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, and exulted when evil befell him;

29

“Have I rejoiced at the extinction of my enemy,
Or exulted when evil befell him?

30

(Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse;)

30

“No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin
By asking for his life in a curse.

31

If the men of my tent said not, Who shall find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat? --

31

“Have the men of my tent not said,
‘Who can find one who has not been satisfied with his meat’?

32

The stranger did not lodge without; I opened my doors to the pathway.

32

“The alien has not lodged outside,
For I have opened my doors to the traveler.

33

If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,

33

“Have I covered my transgressions like Adam,
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

34

Because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door, ...

34

Because I feared the great multitude,
And the contempt of families terrified me,
And kept silent and did not go out of doors?

35

Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold my signature: let the Almighty answer me! And let mine opponent write an accusation!

35

“Oh that I had one to hear me!
Behold, here is my signature;
Let the Almighty answer me!
And the indictment which my adversary has written,

36

Would I not take it upon my shoulder? I would bind it on to me [as] a crown;

36

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder,
I would bind it to myself like a crown.

37

I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I come near to him.

37

“I would declare to Him the number of my steps;
Like a prince I would approach Him.

38

If my land cry out against me, and its furrows weep together;

38

“If my land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together;

39

If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have tormented to death the souls of its owners:

39

If I have eaten its fruit without money,
Or have caused its owners to lose their lives,

40

Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and tares instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.

40

Let briars grow instead of wheat,
And stinkweed instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.

Parallel

Darby Bible Translation

New American Standard Bible

Job 31

Job 31