Read the Bible

Job Asserts His Integrity

¹ "I have made a covenant (agreement) with my ^(C1)eyes;
How then could I gaze lustfully at a virgin?

² "For what is the ^(C1)portion I would have from God above,
And what heritage from the Almighty on high?

³ "Does not ^(C1)tragedy fall justly on the unjust
And disaster to ^(C2)those who work wickedness?

⁴ "Does not God ^(C1)see my ways
And ^(C2)count all my steps?

⁵ "If I have ^(C1)walked with falsehood,
Or if my foot has chased after deceit,

⁶ Oh, let Him ^(C1)weigh me with accurate scales,
And let God know ^(C2)my integrity.

⁷ "If my step has ^(C1)turned away from the way of God,
Or if my heart has covetously followed my eyes,
Or if any ^(C2)spot of guilt has stained my hands,

⁸ Then let me ^(C1)plant and let another eat from the results of my labor,
And let ^(C2)my crops be uprooted and ruined.

⁹ "If my heart has been ^(C1)enticed and I was made a fool by a woman,
Or if I have covetously lurked at my neighbor's door until his departure,

¹⁰ Let my wife ^(C1)grind meal, like a bond slave for another man,
And let ^(C2)others ^(F1)kneel down over her.

¹¹ "For adultery is a ^(C1)heinous and lustful crime;
Moreover, it would be ^(C2)a sin punishable by the judges. ^(VR1)

¹² "For it is a ^(C1)fire which consumes to ^(C2)Abaddon (destruction, ruin, final torment);
And illicit passion would ^(C3)burn and rage and uproot all my life's increase destroying everything.

¹³ "If I have ^(C1)despised and rejected the claim of my male or female servants
When they filed a complaint against me,

¹⁴ What then could I do when God arises to judge me?
When He calls me to account, what will I answer Him? ^(VR1)

¹⁵ "Did not ^(C1)He who made me in the womb make my servant,
And did not the same One fashion us both in the womb? ^(VR1)

¹⁶ "If I have withheld from ^(C1)the poor what they desired,
Or have caused the eyes of ^(C2)the widow to look in vain for relief,

¹⁷ Or have ^(C1)eaten my morsel of food alone,
And did not share it with ^(C2)the orphan

¹⁸ (But from my youth the orphan grew up with me as with a father,
And from my mother's womb I have been the widow's guide),

¹⁹ If I have seen anyone perish ^(C1)for lack of clothing,
Or any ^(C2)poor person without covering,

²⁰ If his loins have not thanked and blessed me for clothing them,
And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

²¹ If I have lifted my hand against ^(C1)the orphan,
Because I saw that the judges would be my help ^(C2)at the council gate,

²² Then let my shoulder fall away from its socket,
And my ^(C1)arm be broken off at the elbow.

²³ "For ^(C1)tragedy from God is a terror to me,
And because of ^(C2)His majesty and exaltation I can do nothing nor endure facing Him. ^(VR1)

²⁴ "If I have put my trust and confidence in ^(C1)gold,
Or have declared fine gold my hope and assurance,

²⁵ If I ^(C1)gloated and rejoiced because my wealth was great,
And because my powerful hand alone had obtained so much,

²⁶ If I ^(C1)beheld the sun as an object of worship when it shone
Or the moon going in its splendor,

²⁷ And my heart became secretly enticed by them,
And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth in respect to them,

²⁸ This also would have been a heinous ^(C1)sin calling for judgment,
For I would have ^(C2)denied God above. ^(VR1)

²⁹ "Have I ^(C1)rejoiced at the destruction of the enemy who hated me,
Or exulted in malicious triumph when evil overtook him?

³⁰ "No, ^(C1)I have not allowed my mouth to sin
By ^(C2)cursing my enemy and asking for his life.

³¹ "I assure you, the men of my tent have said,
'Who can find one in need who has not been ^(C1)satisfied with his meat'?

³² "The stranger has not lodged in the street,
Because I have opened my door to the traveler.

³³ "Have I ^(C1)concealed my transgressions like Adam or like other men,
By hiding my wickedness in my bosom,

³⁴ Because I ^(C1)feared the great multitude,
And the contempt of families terrified me,
So that I kept silence and did not acknowledge my sin and did not go out of the door?

³⁵ "Oh, that I had one to listen to me!
Look, here is my signature (mark);
^(C1)Let the Almighty answer me!
Let my ^(C2)adversary write out His indictment and put His vague accusations in tangible form.

³⁶ "Surely I would proudly bear it on my shoulder,
And bind the scroll around my head like a crown.

³⁷ "I would count out to Him ^(C1)the number of my steps with every detail of my life,
Approaching His presence as if I were a ^(C2)prince.

³⁸ "For if my ^(C1)land has cried out against me,
And its furrows weep together;

³⁹ If I have ^(C1)eaten its fruits without paying for them,
Or have ^(C2)caused its rightful owners to lose their lives,

⁴⁰ Let ^(C1)thorns grow instead of wheat,
And stinkweed and cockleburs instead of barley."
So the words of Job with his friends are finished.