Online Bible

Job Asserts His Integrity

“I have made a covenant (agreement) with my ^aeyes;How then could I gaze lustfully at a virgin?2 “For what is the ^aportion I would have from God above,And what heritage from the Almighty on high?3 “Does not ^atragedy fall justly on the unjustAnd disaster to ^bthose who work wickedness?4 “Does not God ^asee my waysAnd ^bcount all my steps?

5 “If I have ^awalked with falsehood,Or if my foot has chased after deceit,6 Oh, let Him ^aweigh me with accurate scales,And let God know ^bmy integrity.7 “If my step has ^aturned away from the way of God,Or if my heart has covetously followed my eyes,Or if any ^bspot of guilt has stained my hands,8 Then let me ^aplant and let another eat from the results of my labor,And let ^bmy crops be uprooted and ruined.

9 “If my heart has been ^aenticed 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 ^agrind meal, like a bond slave for another man,And let ^bothers ¹kneel down over her.11 “For adultery is a ^aheinous and lustful crime;Moreover, it would be ^ba sin punishable by the judges. Deut 22:22; John 8:512 “For it is a ^afire which consumes to ^bAbaddon (destruction, ruin, final torment) ;And illicit passion would ^cburn and rage and uproot all my life’s increase destroying everything.

13 “If I have ^adespised and rejected the claim of my male or female servantsWhen 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? Ps 44:2115 “Did not ^aHe who made me in the womb make my servant,And did not the same One fashion us both in the womb? Prov 14:31; 22:2; Mal 2:10

16 “If I have withheld from ^athe poor what they desired,Or have caused the eyes of ^bthe widow to look in vain for relief,17 Or have ^aeaten my morsel of food alone,And did not share it with ^bthe orphan18 (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 ^afor lack of clothing,Or any ^bpoor 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 ^athe orphan,Because I saw that the judges would be my help ^bat the council gate,22 Then let my shoulder fall away from its socket,And my ^aarm be broken off at the elbow.23 “For ^atragedy from God is a terror to me,And because of ^bHis majesty and exaltation I can do nothing nor endure facing Him. Is 13:6; Joel 1:15

24 “If I have put my trust and confidence in ^agold,Or have declared fine gold my hope and assurance,25 If I ^agloated and rejoiced because my wealth was great,And because my powerful hand alone had obtained so much,26 If I ^abeheld the sun as an object of worship when it shoneOr 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 ^asin calling for judgment,For I would have ^bdenied God above. Deut 4:19; 17:2-7

29 “Have I ^arejoiced at the destruction of the enemy who hated me,Or exulted in malicious triumph when evil overtook him?30 “No, ^aI have not allowed my mouth to sinBy ^bcursing 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 ^asatisfied with his meat’?32 “The stranger has not lodged in the street,Because I have opened my door to the traveler.33 “Have I ^aconcealed my transgressions like Adam or like other men,By hiding my wickedness in my bosom,34 Because I ^afeared 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) ;^aLet the Almighty answer me!Let my ^badversary 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 ^athe number of my steps with every detail of my life,Approaching His presence as if I were a ^bprince.

38 “For if my ^aland has cried out against me,And its furrows weep together;39 If I have ^aeaten its fruits without paying for them,Or have ^bcaused its rightful owners to lose their lives,40 Let ^athorns grow instead of wheat,And stinkweed and cockleburs instead of barley.”So the words of Job with his friends are finished.

Job Asserts His Integrity

“I have made a covenant with my ^aeyes;How then could I look at a virgin?2 “And what is ^athe portion of God from above,Or the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?3 “Is it not ^adisaster to the criminal,And misfortune to ^bthose who practice injustice?4 “Does He not ^asee my ways,And ^bcount all my steps?

5 “If I have ^awalked with deception,And my foot has hurried after deceit,6 Let Him ^aweigh me with ¹accurate scales,And let God know ^bmy integrity.7 “If my step has ^aturned from the way,Or my heart ¹followed my eyes,Or if any ^bspot has stuck to my hands,8 Let me ^asow and another eat,And let my ¹^bcrops be uprooted.

9 “If my heart has been ^aenticed by a woman,Or I have lurked at my neighbor’s doorway,10 May my wife ^agrind grain for another,And let ^bothers ¹kneel down over her.11 “For that would be a ^alustful crime;Moreover, it would be ^bwrongdoing punishable by judges.12 “For it would be ^afire that consumes to ¹^bAbaddon,And would ^cuproot all my ²increase.

13 “If I have ^arejected the claim of my male or female slavesWhen they filed a complaint against me,14 What then could I do when God arises?And when He calls me to account, how am I to answer Him?15 “Did ^aHe who made me in the womb not make him,And the same One create us in the womb?

16 “If I have kept ^athe poor from their desire,Or have caused the eyes of ^bthe widow to fail,17 Or have ^aeaten my morsel alone,And ^bthe orphan has not ¹shared it18 (But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,And from ¹my infancy I guided her),19 If I have seen anyone perish ^afor lack of clothing,Or that ^bthe needy had no covering,20 If his waist has not ¹thanked me,And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,21 If I have lifted up my hand against ^athe orphan,Because I saw ¹I had support ^bin the gate,22 May my shoulder fall from its ¹socket,And my ^aarm be broken off ²at the elbow.23 “For ^adisaster from God is a terror to me,And because of ^bHis majesty I can do nothing.

24 “If I have put my confidence in ^agold,And called fine gold my trust,25 If I have ^agloated because my wealth was great,And because my hand had obtained so much;26 If I have ^alooked at the ¹sun when it shone,Or the moon going in splendor,27 And my heart was secretly enticed,And my hand ¹threw a kiss from my mouth,28 That too would have been ^aa guilty deed calling for ¹judgment,For I would have ^bdenied God above.

29 “Have I ^arejoiced at the misfortune of my enemy,Or become excited when evil found him?30 “¹No, ^aI have not ²allowed my mouth to sinBy asking for his life in ^ba curse.31 “Have the people of my tent not said,‘Who can ¹find one who has not been ^asatisfied with his meat’?32 “The stranger has not spent the night outside,For I have opened my doors to the ¹traveler.33 “Have I ^acovered my wrongdoings like a man,By hiding my guilt in my shirt pocket,34 Because I ^afeared the great multitudeAnd the contempt of families terrified me,And I kept silent and did not go out of doors?35 “Oh that I had one to hear me!Here is my ¹signature;^aLet the Almighty answer me!And the indictment which my ^badversary has written,36 I would certainly carry it on my shoulder,I would tie it to myself like a garland.37 “I would declare to Him ^athe number of my steps;Like ^ba prince, I would approach Him.

38 “If my ^aland cries out against me,And its furrows weep together;39 If I have ^aeaten its ¹fruit without money,Or have ^bcaused ²its owners to lose their lives,40 May the ^athorn-bush ¹grow instead of wheat,And stinkweed instead of barley.”The words of Job are ended.