Study Desk

"I made a covenant with my eyes^(a) not to look lustfully at a young woman.^(b)

For what is our lot^(c) from God above, our heritage from the Almighty on high?^(d)

Is it not ruin^(e) for the wicked, disaster^(f) for those who do wrong?^(g)

Does he not see my ways^(h) and count my every step?⁽ⁱ⁾

"If I have walked with falsehood or my foot has hurried after deceit^(j)—

let God weigh me^(k) in honest scales^(l) and he will know that I am blameless^(m)—

if my steps have turned from the path,⁽ⁿ⁾ if my heart has been led by my eyes, or if my hands^(o) have been defiled,^(p)

then may others eat what I have sown,^(q) and may my crops be uprooted.^(r)

"If my heart has been enticed^(s) by a woman,^(t) or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door,

then may my wife grind^(u) another man's grain, and may other men sleep with her.^(v)

For that would have been wicked,^(w) a sin to be judged.^(x)

It is a fire^(y) that burns to Destruction^[a];^(z) it would have uprooted my harvest.^(aa)

"If I have denied justice to any of my servants,^(ab) whether male or female, when they had a grievance against me,^(ac)

what will I do when God confronts me?^(ad) What will I answer when called to account?^(ae)

Did not he who made me in the womb make them?^(af) Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?^(ag)

"If I have denied the desires of the poor^(ah) or let the eyes of the widow^(ai) grow weary,^(aj)

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

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

if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing,^(am) or the needy^(an) without garments,

and their hearts did not bless me^(ao) for warming them with the fleece^(ap) from my sheep,

if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,^(aq) knowing that I had influence in court,^(ar)

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

For I dreaded destruction from God,^(at) and for fear of his splendor^(au) I could not do such things.^(av)

"If I have put my trust in gold^(aw) or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,'^(ax)

if I have rejoiced over my great wealth,^(ay) the fortune my hands had gained,^(az)

if I have regarded the sun^(ba) in its radiance or the moon^(bb) moving in splendor,

so that my heart was secretly enticed^(bc) and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,^(bd)

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

"If I have rejoiced at my enemy's misfortune^(bg) or gloated over the trouble that came to him^(bh)—

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

if those of my household have never said, ‘Who has not been filled with Job's meat?'^(bj)—

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

if I have concealed^(bl) my sin as people do,^[b] by hiding^(bm) my guilt in my heart

because I so feared the crowd^(bn) and so dreaded the contempt of the clans that I kept silent^(bo) and would not go outside—

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

Surely I would wear it on my shoulder,^(br) I would put it on like a crown.^(bs)

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

"if my land cries out against me^(bv) and all its furrows are wet^(bw) with tears,

if I have devoured its yield without payment^(bx) or broken the spirit of its tenants,^(by)

then let briers^(bz) come up instead of wheat and stinkweed^(ca) instead of barley." The words of Job are ended.^(cb)

Elihu

So these three men stopped answering Job,^(a) because he was righteous in his own eyes.^(b)

But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite,^(c) of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself^(d) rather than God.^(e)

He was also angry with the three friends,^(f) because they had found no way to refute Job,^(g) and yet had condemned him.^[a](h)

Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he.⁽ⁱ⁾

But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused.

So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said: "I am young in years, and you are old;^(j) that is why I was fearful, not daring to tell you what I know.

I thought, ‘Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.'^(k)

But it is the spirit^[b](l) in a person, the breath of the Almighty,^(m) that gives them understanding.⁽ⁿ⁾

It is not only the old^[c] who are wise,^(o) not only the aged^(p) who understand what is right.^(q)

"Therefore I say: Listen to me;^(r) I too will tell you what I know.^(s)

I waited while you spoke, I listened to your reasoning; while you were searching for words,

I gave you my full attention. But not one of you has proved Job wrong; none of you has answered his arguments.^(t)

Do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;^(u) let God, not a man, refute^(v) him.'

But Job has not marshaled his words against me,^(w) and I will not answer him with your arguments.

"They are dismayed and have no more to say; words have failed them.^(x)

Must I wait, now that they are silent, now that they stand there with no reply?

I too will have my say; I too will tell what I know.^(y)

For I am full of words, and the spirit^(z) within me compels me;^(aa)

inside I am like bottled-up wine, like new wineskins ready to burst.^(ab)

I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and reply.^(ac)

I will show no partiality,^(ad) nor will I flatter anyone;^(ae)

for if I were skilled in flattery, my Maker^(af) would soon take me away.^(ag)