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| [1]I made a covenant with mine eyes; how then should I look upon a maid? |
[1]I MADE a vow with my eyes that I would never lust after a virgin. |
| [2]For what would be the portion of God from above, and the heritage of the Almighty from on high? |
[2]For what portion would I have then from God who is above, and what heritage from the Almighty who is on high? |
| [3]Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity? |
[3]For it is destruction to the wicked, and punishment to the workers of iniquity. |
| [4]Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps? |
[4]He sees my ways, and counts all my steps. |
| [5]If I have walked with vanity, and my foot hath hasted to deceit— |
[5]If I have walked with hypocrites, or if my foot hastened to deceit; |
| [6]Let me be weighed in a just balance, that God may know mine integrity— |
[6]Let me be weighed in a just balance, that God may know my integrity. |
| [7]If my step hath turned out of the way, and my heart walked after mine eyes, and if any spot hath cleaved to my hands; |
[7]I have not turned aside my steps from the way, and my heart has not followed after my eyes, and I have acquired nothing unjustly; |
| [8]Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out. |
[8]But when I sowed, then I ate, and when I planted, then I cultivated and gathered the crops |
| [9]If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbour's door; |
[9]And if my heart has been enticed by a strange woman, or if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door; |
| [10]Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her. |
[10]Then let my wife grind for another, and let her bake bread at another man's place, |
| [11]For that were a heinous crime; yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges. |
[11]For this is a heinous crime; yea, such an eye devises a crafty scheme. |
| [12]For it is a fire that consumeth unto destruction, and would root out all mine increase. |
[12]For passion is a fire that consumes to destruction, and it would root out all my increase. |
| [13]If I did despise the cause of my man-servant, or of my maid-servant, when they contended with me— |
[13]If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant, when he contended with me, |
| [14]What then shall I do when God riseth up? And when He remembereth, what shall I answer Him? |
[14]Without saying, What then shall I do when God rises up in judgment, and when he inquires, what shall I answer him? |
| [15]Did not He that made me in the womb make him? And did not One fashion us in the womb? |
[15](For, behold, he who made me in the womb made him, and he created us in the same womb) |
| [16]If I have withheld aught that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; |
[16]If I have withheld the poor from his desire, or have defrauded the widow, |
| [17]Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof— |
[17]Or have eaten my bread alone, and the orphans did not eat of it |
| [18]Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have been her guide from my mother's womb. |
[18](Because from my youth I was brought up in sorrows, and from my mother's womb with sighing); |
| [19]If I have seen any wanderer in want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering; |
[19]If I have seen anyone perishing for want of clothing, or any poor without covering |
| [20]If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; |
[20](But they were reared upon my knees, and were warmed with the fleece of my sheep); |
| [21]If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate; |
[21]If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless (when I saw him at the door I helped him); |
| [22]Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone. |
[22]Then let my arm fall from my shoulder blade, and let it be broken from the bone. |
| [23]For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of His majesty I could do nothing. |
[23]For the fear of God made me to tremble, and affliction from him came upon me, and because of terror I was unable to rise up |
| [24]If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold: 'Thou art my confidence'; |
[24]If I have made gold my trust, or said about the precious stones, You are my confidence; or have said about fine gold, You are my hope; |
| [25]If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much; |
[25]If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much; |
| [26]If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness; |
[26]If I have adored the sun when it shone, or the moon when in full brightness; |
| [27]And my heart hath been secretly enticed, and my mouth hath kissed my hand; |
[27]And if my heart has been secretly enticed, if I have consented to wrongdoings; |
| [28]This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for I should have lied to God that is above. |
[28]Then God has seen my crafty ways, and I have lied before him. |
| [29]If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or exulted when evil found him— |
[29]If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or exulted myself when misfortune befell him; |
| [30]Yea, I suffered not my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse. |
[30](But I have neither suffered my mouth to sin, nor has my soul wished for any of these things; |
| [31]If the men of my tent said not: 'Who can find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat?' |
[31]My friends said, Oh this man would give us even of his own flesh! but we are not satisfied, |
| [32]The stranger did not lodge in the street; my doors I opened to the roadside. |
[32]And the stranger I did not let lodge in the street, and I opened my door to the guest) |
| [33]If after the manner of men I covered my transgressions, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom— |
[33]If I have covered up my sins like some men, or if I have hid my guilt in secret places; |
| [34]Because I feared the great multitude, and the most contemptible among families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door. |
[34]If I have trampled upon the rights of the others (but on the contrary, it is the multitude of families which has ruined me. Nor have I turned away anyone at the door; or engaged in gossip) let the provocations of God lay me low! |
| [35]Oh that I had one to hear me!—Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me—and that I had the indictment which mine adversary hath written! |
[35]O that one would hear me! If God is present, let him answer me, and let him write the sentence in a book. |
| [36]Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown. |
[36]Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and make it a crown to me. |
| [37]I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him. |
[37]I would declare to him the number of my steps; as a prince I would go near to him. |
| [38]If my land cry out against me, and the furrows thereof weep together; |
[38]Let the earth lament over me, let its furrows weep together, |
| [39]If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the tillers thereof to be disappointed— |
[39]If I have eaten its fruits without money; or if I have grieved one whose life is bitter, |
| [40]Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and noisome weeds instead of barley. The words of Job are ended. |
[40]Then let thistles grow instead of wheat and thorns instead of barley. The words of Job are ended |