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Job Asserts His Integrity

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

² "And what is ^(C1)the portion of God from above
Or the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

³ "Is it not ^(C1)calamity to the unjust
And disaster to ^(C2)those who work iniquity?

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

⁵ "If I have ^(C1)walked with falsehood,
And my foot has hastened after deceit,

⁶ Let Him ^(C1)weigh me with ^(F1)accurate scales,
And let God know ^(C2)my integrity.

⁷ "If my step has ^(C1)turned from the way,
Or my heart ^(F1)followed my eyes,
Or if any ^(C2)spot has stuck to my hands,

⁸ Let me ^(C1)sow and another eat,
And let my ^(F1)(C2)crops be uprooted.

⁹ "If my heart has been ^(C1)enticed by a woman,
Or I have lurked at my neighbor's doorway,

¹⁰ May my wife ^(C1)grind for another,
And let ^(C2)others ^(F1)kneel down over her.

¹¹ "For that would be a ^(C1)lustful crime;
Moreover, it would be ^(C2)an iniquity punishable by judges.

¹² "For it would be ^(C1)fire that consumes to ^(F1)(C2)Abaddon,
And would ^(C3)uproot all my ^(F2)increase.

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

¹⁴ What then could I do when God arises?
And when He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?

¹⁵ "Did not ^(C1)He who made me in the womb make him,
And the same one fashion us in the womb?

¹⁶ "If I have kept ^(C1)the poor from their desire,
Or have caused the eyes of ^(C2)the widow to fail,

¹⁷ Or have ^(C1)eaten my morsel alone,
And ^(C2)the orphan has not ^(F1)shared it

¹⁸ (But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,
And from ^(F1)infancy I guided her),

¹⁹ If I have seen anyone perish ^(C1)for lack of clothing,
Or that ^(C2)the needy had no covering,

²⁰ If his loins have not ^(F1)thanked me,
And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

²¹ If I have lifted up my hand against ^(C1)the orphan,
Because I saw ^(F1)I had support ^(C2)in the gate,

²² Let my shoulder fall from the ^(F1)socket,
And my ^(C1)arm be broken off ^(F2)at the elbow.

²³ "For ^(C1)calamity from God is a terror to me,
And because of ^(C2)His ^(F1)majesty I can do nothing.

²⁴ "If I have put my confidence in ^(C1)gold,
And called fine gold my trust,

²⁵ If I have ^(C1)gloated because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had secured so much;

²⁶ If I have ^(C1)looked at the ^(F1)sun when it shone
Or the moon going in splendor,

²⁷ And my heart became secretly enticed,
And my hand ^(F1)threw a kiss from my mouth,

²⁸ That too would have been ^(C1)an iniquity calling for ^(F1)judgment,
For I would have ^(C2)denied God above.

²⁹ "Have I ^(C1)rejoiced at the extinction of my enemy,
Or ^(F1)exulted when evil befell him?

³⁰ "^(F1)No, ^(C1)I have not ^(F2)allowed my mouth to sin
By asking for his life in ^(C2)a curse.

³¹ "Have the men of my tent not said,
'Who can ^(F1)find one who has not been ^(C1)satisfied with his meat'?

³² "The alien has not lodged outside,
For I have opened my doors to the ^(F1)traveler.

³³ "Have I ^(C1)covered my transgressions like ^(F1)Adam,
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

³⁴ Because I ^(C1)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, here is my ^(F1)signature;
^(C1)Let the Almighty answer me!
And the indictment which my ^(C2)adversary has written,

³⁶ Surely I would carry it on my shoulder,
I would bind it to myself like a crown.

³⁷ "I would declare to Him ^(C1)the number of my steps;
Like ^(C2)a prince I would approach Him.

³⁸ "If my ^(C1)land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together;

³⁹ If I have ^(C1)eaten its ^(F1)fruit without money,
Or have ^(C2)caused ^(F2)its owners to lose their lives,

⁴⁰ Let ^(C1)briars ^(F1)grow instead of wheat,
And stinkweed instead of barley."
The words of Job are ended.