Study Desk

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

-"And what is ^(C1)the portion of God from above, Or the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

-"Is it not ^(C1)disaster to the criminal, And misfortune to ^(C2)those who practice injustice?

-"Does He not ^(C1)see my ways, And ^(C2)count all my steps?

"If I have ^(C1)walked with deception, And my foot has hurried after deceit,

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

-"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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

What then could I do when God arises? And when He calls me to account, how am I to answer Him?

-"Did ^(C1)He who made me in the womb not make him, And the same One create us in the womb?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That too would have been ^(C1)a guilty deed calling for ^(F1)judgment, For I would have ^(C2)denied God above.

"Have I ^(C1)rejoiced at the misfortune of my enemy, Or become excited when evil found him?

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

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

-"The stranger has not spent the night outside, For I have opened my doors to the ^(F1)traveler.

-"Have I ^(C1)covered my wrongdoings like a man, By hiding my guilt in my shirt pocket,

Because I ^(C1)feared the great multitude And the contempt of families terrified me, And I kept silent and did not go out of doors?

-"Oh that I had one to hear me! Here is my ^(F1)signature; ^(C1)Let the Almighty answer me! And the indictment which my ^(C2)adversary has written,

I would certainly carry it on my shoulder, I would tie it to myself like a garland.

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

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

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

May the ^(C1)thorn-bush ^(F1)grow instead of wheat, And stinkweed instead of barley." The words of Job are ended.

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