English Standard Version

New Living Translation

Job’s Final Appeal

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

1

Job’s Final Protest of Innocence

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

2

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

2

For what has God above chosen for us?
What is our inheritance from the Almighty on high?

3

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

3

Isn’t it calamity for the wicked
and misfortune for those who do evil?

4

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

4

Doesn’t he see everything I do
and every step I take?

5

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

5

“Have I lied to anyone
or deceived anyone?

6

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

6

Let God weigh me on the scales of justice,
for he knows my integrity.

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 I have strayed from his pathway,
or if my heart has lusted for what my eyes have seen,
or if I am guilty of any other sin,

8

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

8

then let someone else eat the crops I have planted.
Let all that I have planted 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 seduced by a woman,
or if I have lusted for my neighbor’s wife,

10

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

10

then let my wife servea another man;
let 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 lust is a shameful sin,
a crime that should be punished.

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 all the way to hell.b
It would wipe out everything I own.

13

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

13

“If I have been unfair to my male or female servants
when they brought their complaints to me,

14

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

14

how could I face God?
What could I say when he questioned me?

15

Did not he who made me in the womb make him?
And did not one fashion us in the womb?

15

For God created both me and my servants.
He created us both in the womb.

16

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

16

“Have I refused to help the poor,
or crushed the hopes of widows?

17

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

17

Have I been stingy with my food
and refused to share it with orphans?

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

No, from childhood I have cared for orphans like a father,
and all my life I have cared for widows.

19

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

19

Whenever I saw the homeless without clothes
and the needy with nothing to wear,

20

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

20

did they not praise me
for providing wool clothing to keep them warm?

21

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

21

“If I raised my hand against an orphan,
knowing the judges would take my side,

22

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

22

then let my shoulder be wrenched out of place!
Let my arm be torn from its socket!

23

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

23

That would be better than facing God’s judgment.
For if the majesty of God opposes me, what hope is there?

24

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

24

“Have I put my trust in money
or felt secure because of my gold?

25

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

25

Have I gloated about my wealth
and all that I own?

26

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

26

“Have I looked at the sun shining in the skies,
or the moon walking down its silver pathway,

27

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

27

and been secretly enticed in my heart
to throw kisses at them in worship?

28

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

28

If so, I should be punished by the judges,
for it would mean I had denied the God of heaven.

29

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

29

“Have I ever rejoiced when disaster struck my enemies,
or become excited when harm came their way?

30

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

30

No, I have never sinned by cursing anyone
or by asking for revenge.

31

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

31

“My servants have never said,
‘He let others go hungry.’

32

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

32

I have never turned away a stranger
but have opened my doors to everyone.

33

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

33

“Have I tried to hide my sins like other people do,
concealing 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

Have I feared the crowd
or the contempt of the masses,
so that I kept quiet and stayed indoors?

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

“If only someone would listen to me!
Look, I will sign my name to my defense.
Let the Almighty answer me.
Let my accuser write out the charges against me.

36

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

36

I would face the accusation proudly.
I would wear it like a crown.

37

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

37

For I would tell him exactly what I have done.
I would come before him like a prince.

38

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

38

“If my land accuses me
and all its furrows cry out together,

39

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

39

or if I have stolen its crops
or murdered its owners,

40

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

40

then let thistles grow on that land instead of wheat,
and weeds instead of barley.”
Job’s words are ended.

Parallel

English Standard Version

New Living Translation

Job 31

Job 31