1“I made a covenant with my eyes;

how, then, can I focus my attention on a virgin?

2What would I havea from God above,

what heritage from the Almighty on high,

3if not calamity that is due the unjust,

and misfortune that is due those who practice iniquity?

4He watches my life,

observing every one of my actions,b does he not?”

No Lies and Deception

5“If I’ve lived my life in the company of vanity,

or run quickly to embrace deception,

6let my righteousness be weighed in honest scales,

and God will make known my integrity.

7If I have stepped away from the way,

or if my heart covets whatever my eyes see,

or if some other blemish clings to my hands,

8what I’ve planted, let another eat

or let my crops be uprooted.”

No Adultery

9“If my heart has been seduced by a woman

and I’ve laid in wait at my friend’s door,

10then let my wife cookc for another person

and may someone else sleep with her,

11because something as lascivious as that

is an iniquity that should be judged.

12The fires of Abaddond will burn,e

disrupting every part of my eternal reward.”f

No Abuse of Servants

13“If I’ve refused to help my male and female servants

when they complain against me,

14what will I do when God stands up to act?

When he asks the questions, how will I answer him?

15The one who made me in the womb made them,g too, didn’t he?

Didn’t the same one prepare each of us in the womb?”

No Injustice on the Poor

16“If I refused to grant the desire of the poor

or exhausted the eyes of the widow,

17if I ate my meals by myself

without feeding orphans,

18(even a poor man had grown up with me as if I were his father,

and even though I had guided the widowh

from the time I was born),

19if I’ve observed someone who is about to die for lack of clothes

or if I have no clothing to give to the poor,

20if he hadn’t thanked me from the bottom of his heart,i

if he had not been warmed by wool from my sheep,

21if I’ve raised my hand against an orphan

when I thought I would against him in court,j

22then let my armk fall from its socket;

and may my arm be torn off at the shoulder.

23For I’m terrified of what calamity God may have in store for me;

and I cannot endure his grandeur.”

No Trust in Wealth and Heavenly Bodies

24“If I’ve put my confidence in gold,

if I’ve told gold, ‘You’re my security,’

25if I’ve found joy in great wealth that I own,

if I’ve earned a lot with my own hands,

26if I look at the sunl when it shines

or the moon as it rises in steady splendor,

27so that in the depths of my deceived heart

I worshipped them with my mouth and hands,

28this is also a sin that deserves to be judged,

since I would have tried to deceivem God above.”

No Rejoicing over the Plight of Adversary

29“Have I rejoiced in the destruction of those who hate me,

or have I been happy that evil caught up with him?

30No, I haven’t allowed my mouth to sin

by asking for his lifen with a curse.

31People in my household have said,

‘We cannot find anyone who has not been satisfied with his meat,’ haven’t they?

32No stranger ever spent the night in the street,

because I opened my doors to travelers.”

No Secret Sins

33“Have I covered my transgression like other people,

to conceal iniquity within myself?o

34Have I feared large crowds?

Has my family’s contempt ever terrified me

so that I remained silent and wouldn’t go outside?”

Request for A Hearing

35“Who will grant me a hearing?

Here’s my signaturep —let the Almighty answer!

Since my adversary indicted me,

36I’ll wear it on my shoulder,

or tie it on my head for a crown!

37I’ll give an account for every step I’ve taken;

I’ll approach him confidently like a Commander-in-Chief.”q

No Abuse of the Land

38“If my land were to cry out against me

or if all its furrows wept as one,

39If I’ve consumed its producer without paying for it

and snuffed out the life of its owners;

40may thorns spring up instead of wheat,

and obnoxious weeds instead of barley.”

With this, Job’s discourse with his friendss is completed.