English Standard Version

New International Version

Job’s Final Appeal

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

1

“I made a covenant with my eyes
not to look lustfully at a young woman.

2

What would be my portion from God above
and my heritage from the Almighty on high?

2

For what is our lot from God above,
our heritage from the Almighty on high?

3

Is not calamity for the unrighteous,
and disaster for the workers of iniquity?

3

Is it not ruin for the wicked,
disaster for those who do wrong?

4

Does not he see my ways
and number all my steps?

4

Does he not see my ways
and count my every step?

5

“If I have walked with falsehood
and my foot has hastened to deceit;

5

“If I have walked with falsehood
or my foot has hurried after deceit —

6

(Let me be weighed in a just balance,
and let God know my integrity!)

6

let God weigh me in honest scales
and he will know that I am blameless —

7

if my step has turned aside from the way
and my heart has gone after my eyes,
and if any spot has stuck to my hands,

7

if my steps have turned from the path,
if my heart has been led by my eyes,
or if my hands have been defiled,

8

then let me sow, and another eat,
and let what grows for mea be rooted out.

8

then may others eat what I have sown,
and may my crops be uprooted.

9

“If my heart has been enticed toward a woman,
and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door,

9

“If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,

10

then let my wife grind for another,
and let others bow down on her.

10

then may my wife grind another man’s grain,
and may other men sleep with her.

11

For that would be a heinous crime;
that would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges;

11

For that would have been wicked,
a sin to be judged.

12

for that would be a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon,
and it would burn to the root all my increase.

12

It is a fire that burns to Destructiona;
it would have uprooted my harvest.

13

“If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant,
when they brought a complaint against me,

13

“If I have denied justice to any of my servants,
whether male or female,
when they had a grievance against me,

14

what then shall I do when God rises up?
When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?

14

what will I do when God confronts me?
What will I answer when called to account?

15

Did not he who 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 them?
Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?

16

“If I have withheld anything that the poor desired,
or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

16

“If I have denied the desires of the poor
or let the eyes of the widow grow weary,

17

or have eaten my morsel alone,
and the fatherless has not eaten of it

17

if I have kept my bread to myself,
not sharing it with the fatherless —

18

(for from my youth the fatherlessb grew up with me as with a father,
and from my mother’s womb I guided the widowc),

18

but from my youth I reared them as a father would,
and from my birth I guided the widow —

19

if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
or the needy without covering,

19

if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing,
or the needy without garments,

20

if his body has not blessed me,d
and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

20

and their hearts did not bless me
for warming them with the fleece from my sheep,

21

if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,
because I saw my help in the gate,

21

if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,
knowing that I had influence in court,

22

then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,
and let my arm be broken from its socket.

22

then let my arm fall from the shoulder,
let it be broken off at the joint.

23

For I was in terror of calamity from God,
and I could not have faced his majesty.

23

For I dreaded destruction from God,
and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things.

24

“If I have made gold my trust
or called fine gold my confidence,

24

“If I have put my trust in gold
or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’

25

if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant
or because my hand had found much,

25

if I have rejoiced over my great wealth,
the fortune my hands had gained,

26

if I have looked at the sune when it shone,
or the moon moving in splendor,

26

if I have regarded the sun in its radiance
or the moon moving in splendor,

27

and my heart has been secretly enticed,
and my mouth has kissed my hand,

27

so that my heart was secretly enticed
and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,

28

this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
for I would have been false to God above.

28

then these also would be sins to be judged,
for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.

29

“If I have rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me,
or exulted when evil overtook him

29

“If I have rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortune
or gloated over the trouble that came to him —

30

(I have not let my mouth sin
by asking for his life with a curse),

30

I have not allowed my mouth to sin
by invoking a curse against their life —

31

if the men of my tent have not said,
‘Who is there that has not been filled with his meat?’

31

if those of my household have never said,
‘Who has not been filled with Job’s meat?’ —

32

(the sojourner has not lodged in the street;
I have opened my doors to the traveler),

32

but no stranger had to spend the night in the street,
for my door was always open to the traveler —

33

if I have concealed my transgressions as others dof
by hiding my iniquity in my heart,

33

if I have concealed my sin as people do,b
by hiding my guilt in my heart

34

because I stood in great fear of the multitude,
and the contempt of families terrified me,
so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors —

34

because I so feared the crowd
and so dreaded the contempt of the clans
that I kept silent and would not go outside —

35

Oh, that I had one to hear me!
(Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!)
Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary!

35

(“Oh, that I had someone to hear me!
I sign now my defense — let the Almighty answer me;
let my accuser put his indictment in writing.

36

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;
I would bind it on me as a crown;

36

Surely I would wear it on my shoulder,
I would put it on like a crown.

37

I would give him an account of all my steps;
like a prince I would approach him.

37

I would give him an account of my every step;
I would present it to him as to a ruler.) —

38

“If my land has cried out against me
and its furrows have wept together,

38

“if my land cries out against me
and all its furrows are wet with tears,

39

if I have eaten its yield without payment
and made its owners breathe their last,

39

if I have devoured its yield without payment
or broken the spirit of its tenants,

40

let thorns grow instead of wheat,
and foul weeds instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.

40

then let briers come up instead of wheat
and stinkweed instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.

Parallel

English Standard Version

New International Version

Job 31

Job 31