King James Bible

New American Standard Bible

Job's Final Appeal

I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think 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 portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance 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 destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to 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 count all my steps?

4

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

5

If I have walked with vanity, or if 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, that God may know mine integrity.

6

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

7

If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine 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

Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.

8

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

9

If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have 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

Then let my wife grind unto 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 heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished 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 did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, 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 shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall 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 have 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 myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;

17

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

18

(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her 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 perish for want of clothing, or any poor 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 sheep;

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 the fatherless, when 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 mine arm fall from my 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 destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

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 have said to the fine gold, Thou art 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 mine 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 shined, 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 hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:

27

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

28

This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that 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, or lifted up myself when evil found 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 wishing a curse to his soul.

30

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

31

If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.

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 in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.

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

Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, 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 one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.

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

Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.

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 go near unto him.

37

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

38

If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;

38

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

39

If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

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 cockle 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

King James Bible

New American Standard Bible

Job 31

Job 31