Job

Job’s Final Appeal

1“I have made a covenant with my eyes.How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin?

2For what is the allotment of God from above,or the heritage from the Almighty on high?

3Does not disaster come to the unjustand calamity to the workers of iniquity?

4Does He not see my waysand count my every step?

5If I have walked in falsehoodor my foot has rushed to deceit,

6let God weigh me with honest scales,that He may know my integrity.

7If my steps have turned from the path,if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands,

8then may another eat what I have sown,and may my crops be uprooted.

9If my heart has been enticed by my neighbor’s wife,or I have lurked at his door,

10then may my own wife grind grain for another,and may other men sleep with her.

11For that would be a heinous crime,an iniquity to be judged.

12For it is a fire that burns down to Abaddon;it would root out my entire harvest.

13If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservantwhen they made a complaint against me,

14what will I do when God rises to judge?How will I answer when called to account?

15Did not He who made me in the womb also make them?Did not the same One form us in the womb?

16If I have denied the desires of the pooror allowed the widow’s eyes to fail,

17if I have eaten my morsel alone,not sharing it with the fatherless—

18though from my youth I reared him as would a father,and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—

19if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing,or a needy man without a cloak,

20if his heart has not blessed mefor warming him with the fleece of my sheep,

21if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherlessbecause I saw that I had support in the gate,

22then may my arm fall from my shoulderand be torn from its socket.

23For calamity from God terrifies me,and His splendor I cannot overpower.

24If I have put my trust in goldor called pure gold my security,

25if I have rejoiced in my great wealthbecause my hand had gained so much,

26if I have beheld the sunin its radianceor the moon moving in splendor,

27so that my heart was secretly enticedand my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,

28this would also be an iniquity to be judged,for I would have denied God on high.

29If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin,or exulted when evil befell him—

30I have not allowed my mouth to sinby asking for his life with a curse—

31if the men of my house have not said,‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’—

32but no stranger had to lodge on the street,for my door has been open to the traveler—

33if I have covered my transgressions like Adamby hiding my guilt in my heart,

34because I greatly feared the crowdsand the contempt of the clans terrified me,so that I kept silentand would not go outside—

35(Oh, that I had one to hear me!Here is my signature.Let the Almighty answer me;let my accuser compose an indictment.

36Surely I would carry it on my shoulderand wear it like a crown.

37I would give account of all my steps;I would approach Him like a prince.)—

38if my land cries out against meand its furrows weep together,

39if I have devoured its produce without paymentor broken the spirit of its tenants,

40then let briers grow instead of wheatand stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job.

1“I made a covenant with my eyes;how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?

2For what is the portion from God above,and the heritage from the Almighty on high?

3Is it not calamity to the unrighteous,and disaster to the workers of iniquity?

4Doesn’t he see my ways,and count all my steps?

5“If I have walked with falsehood,and my foot has hurried to deceit

6(let me be weighed in an even balance,that God may know my integrity);

7if my step has turned out of the way,if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to my hands,

8then let me sow, and let another eat.Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

9“If my heart has been enticed to a woman,and I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door,

10then let my wife grind for another,and let others sleep with her.

11For that would be a heinous crime.Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,

12for it is a fire that consumes to destruction,and would root out all my increase.

13“If I have despised the cause of my male servantor of my female servant, when they contended with me,

14what then will I do when God rises up?When he visits, what will I answer him?

15Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him?Didn’t 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,

17or have eaten my morsel alone,and the fatherless has not eaten of it

18(no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,I have guided her from my mother’s womb);

19if I have seen any perish for want of clothing,or that the needy had no covering;

20if his heart hasn’t blessed me,if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece;

21if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless,because I saw my help in the gate;

22then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade,and my arm be broken from the bone.

23For calamity from God is a terror to me.Because of his majesty, I can do nothing.

24“If I have made gold my hope,and have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence;’

25If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great,and because my hand had gotten much;

26if I have seen the sun when it shined,or the moon moving in splendor,

27and my heart has been secretly enticed,and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth;

28this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,for I would have denied the God who is above.

29“If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me,or lifted up myself when evil found him

30(I have certainly not allowed my mouth to sinby asking his life with a curse);

31if the men of my tent have not said,‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’

32(the foreigner has not camped in the street,but I have opened my doors to the traveler);

33if like Adam I have covered my transgressions,by hiding my iniquity in my heart,

34because I feared the great multitude,and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and didn’t go out of the door—

35oh that I had one to hear me!Behold, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me! Let the accuser write my indictment!

36Surely I would carry it on my shoulder,and I would bind it to me as a crown.

37I would declare to him the number of my steps.I would go near to him like a prince.

38If my land cries out against me,and its furrows weep together;

39if I have eaten its fruits without money,or have caused its owners to lose their life,

40let briers grow instead of wheat,and stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.