English Standard Version

International Standard Version

1“I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?

1"I made a covenant with my eyes; how, then, can I focus my attention on a virgin?

2What would be my portion from God above and my heritage from the Almighty on high?

2What would I have from God above, what heritage from the Almighty on high,

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

3if not calamity that is due the unjust, and misfortune that is due those who practice iniquity?

4Does not he see my ways and number all my steps?

4He watches my life, observing every one of my actions, does he not?"

5“If I have walked with falsehood and my foot has hastened to deceit;

5"If I've lived my life in the company of vanity, or run quickly to embrace deception,

6(Let me be weighed in a just balance, and let God know my integrity!)

6let my righteousness be weighed in honest scales, and God will make known my integrity.

7if my step has turned aside from the way and my heart has gone after my eyes, and if any spot has stuck to my hands,

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,

8then let me sow, and another eat, and let what grows for me be rooted out.

8what I've planted, let another eat or let my crops be uprooted."

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

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 grind for another, and let others bow down on her.

10then let my wife cook for another person and may someone else sleep with her,

11For that would be a heinous crime; that would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges;

11because something as lascivious as that is an iniquity that should be judged.

12for that would be a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn to the root all my increase.

12The fires of Abaddon will burn, disrupting every part of my eternal reward."

13“If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant, when they brought a complaint against me,

13"If I've refused to help my male and female servants when they complain against me,

14what then shall I do when God rises up? When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?

14what will I do when God stands up to act? When he asks the questions, how will I answer him?

15Did not he who made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?

15The one who made me in the womb made them, too, didn't he? Didn't the same one prepare each of us in the womb?"

16“If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

16"If I refused to grant the desire of the poor or exhausted the eyes of the widow,

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

17if I ate my meals by myself without feeding orphans,

18(for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow),

18(even a poor man had grown up with me as if I were his father, and even though I had guided the widow from the time I was born),

19if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or the needy without covering,

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 his body has not blessed me, and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

20if he hadn't thanked me from the bottom of his heart, if he had not been warmed by wool from my sheep,

21if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate,

21if I've raised my hand against an orphan when I thought I would against him in court,

22then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder, and let my arm be broken from its socket.

22then let my arm fall from its socket; and may my arm be torn off at the shoulder.

23For I was in terror of calamity from God, and I could not have faced his majesty.

23For I'm terrified of what calamity God may have in store for me; and I cannot endure his grandeur."

24“If I have made gold my trust or called fine gold my confidence,

24"If I've put my confidence in gold, if I've told gold, 'You're my security,'

25if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant or because my hand had found much,

25if I've found joy in great wealth that I own, if I've earned a lot with my own hands,

26if I have looked at the sun when it shone, or the moon moving in splendor,

26if I look at the sun when it shines or the moon as it rises in steady splendor,

27and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand,

27so that in the depths of my deceived heart I worshipped them with my mouth and hands,

28this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have been false to God above.

28this is also a sin that deserves to be judged, since I would have tried to deceive God above."

29“If I have rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me, or exulted when evil overtook him

29"Have I rejoiced in the destruction of those who hate me, or have I been happy that evil caught up with him?

30(I have not let my mouth sin by asking for his life with a curse),

30No, I haven't allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse.

31if the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who is there that has not been filled with his meat?’

31People in my household have said, 'We cannot find anyone who has not been satisfied with his meat,' haven't they?

32(the sojourner has not lodged in the street; I have opened my doors to the traveler),

32No stranger ever spent the night in the street, because I opened my doors to travelers."

33if I have concealed my transgressions as others do by hiding my iniquity in my heart,

33"Have I covered my transgression like other people, to conceal iniquity within myself?

34because I stood in great fear of the multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors—

34Have I feared large crowds? Has my family's contempt ever terrified me so that I remained silent and wouldn't go outside?"

35Oh, that I had one to hear me! (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!) Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary!

35"Who will grant me a hearing? Here's my signature —let the Almighty answer! Since my adversary indicted me,

36Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; I would bind it on me as a crown;

36I'll wear it on my shoulder, or tie it on my head for a crown!

37I would give him an account of all my steps; like a prince I would approach him.

37I'll give an account for every step I've taken; I'll approach him confidently like a Commander-in-Chief."

38“If my land has cried out against me and its furrows have wept together,

38"If my land were to cry out against me or if all its furrows wept as one,

39if I have eaten its yield without payment and made its owners breathe their last,

39If I've consumed its produce without paying for it and snuffed out the life of its owners;

40let thorns grow instead of wheat, and foul weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.

40may thorns spring up instead of wheat, and obnoxious weeds instead of barley." With this, Job's discourse with his friends is completed.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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