New King James Version

New American Standard Bible

Job Defends His Righteousness

“I have made a covenant with my eyes;
Why then should I [a]look upon a young woman?

1

Job Asserts His Integrity

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

2

For what is the allotment of God from above,
And the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

2

“And what is the portion of God from above
Or the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

3

Is it not destruction for the wicked,
And disaster for the workers of iniquity?

3

“Is it not calamity to the unjust
And disaster to those who work iniquity?

4

Does He not see my ways,
And count all my steps?

4

“Does He not see my ways
And number all my steps?

5

“If I have walked with falsehood,
Or if my foot has hastened to deceit,

5

“If I have walked with falsehood,
And my foot has hastened after deceit,

6

[b]Let me be weighed on honest scales,
That God may know my integrity.

6

Let Him weigh me with accurate scales,
And let God know my integrity.

7

If my step has turned from the way,
Or my heart walked after my eyes,
Or if any spot adheres to my hands,

7

“If my step has turned from the way,
Or my heart followed my eyes,
Or if any spot has stuck to my hands,

8

Then let me sow, and another eat;
Yes, let my harvest be [c]rooted out.

8

Let me sow and another eat,
And let my crops be uprooted.

9

“If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
Or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,

9

“If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
Or I have lurked at my neighbor’s doorway,

10

Then let my wife grind for another,
And let others bow down over her.

10

May my wife grind for another,
And let others kneel down over her.

11

For that would be wickedness;
Yes, it would be iniquity deserving of judgment.

11

“For that would be a lustful crime;
Moreover, it would be an iniquity punishable by judges.

12

For that would be a fire that consumes to destruction,
And would root out all my increase.

12

“For it would be fire that consumes to Abaddon,
And would uproot all my increase.

13

“If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant
When they complained against me,

13

“If I have despised the claim of my male or female slaves
When they filed a complaint against me,

14

What then shall I do when God rises up?
When He punishes, how shall I answer Him?

14

What then could I do when God arises?
And when He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?

15

Did not He who made me in the womb make them?
Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?

15

“Did not He who made me in the womb make him,
And the same one fashion us in the womb?

16

“If I have kept the poor from their desire,
Or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

16

“If I have kept the poor from their desire,
Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17

Or eaten my morsel by myself,
So that the fatherless could not eat of it

17

Or have eaten my morsel alone,
And the orphan has not shared it

18

(But from my youth I reared him as a father,
And from my mother’s womb I guided [d]the widow);

18

(But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,
And from infancy I guided her),

19

If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
Or any poor man without covering;

19

If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
Or that the needy had no covering,

20

If his [e]heart has not blessed me,
And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

20

If his loins have not thanked me,
And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

21

If I have raised my hand against the fatherless,
When I saw I had help in the gate;

21

If I have lifted up my hand against the orphan,
Because I saw I had support in the gate,

22

Then let my arm fall from my shoulder,
Let my arm be torn from the socket.

22

Let my shoulder fall from the socket,
And my arm be broken off at the elbow.

23

For destruction from God is a terror to me,
And because of His magnificence I cannot endure.

23

“For calamity from God is a terror to me,
And because of His majesty I can do nothing.

24

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

24

“If I have put my confidence in gold,
And called fine gold my trust,

25

If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had gained much;

25

If I have gloated because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had secured so much;

26

If I have observed the [f]sun when it shines,
Or the moon moving in brightness,

26

If I have looked at the sun when it shone
Or the moon going in splendor,

27

So that my heart has been secretly enticed,
And my mouth has kissed my hand;

27

And my heart became secretly enticed,
And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,

28

This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment,
For I would have denied God who is above.

28

That too would have been an iniquity calling for judgment,
For I would have denied God above.

29

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

29

“Have I rejoiced at the extinction of my enemy,
Or exulted when evil befell him?

30

(Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin
By asking for a curse on his [g]soul);

30

“No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin
By asking for his life in a curse.

31

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

31

“Have the men of my tent not said,
‘Who can find one who has not been satisfied with his meat’?

32

(But no sojourner had to lodge in the street,
For I have opened my doors to the [h]traveler);

32

“The alien has not lodged outside,
For I have opened my doors to the traveler.

33

If I have covered my transgressions as[i] Adam,
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

33

“Have I covered my transgressions like Adam,
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

34

Because I feared the great multitude,
And dreaded the contempt of families,
So that I kept silence
And did not go out of the door —

34

Because I feared the great multitude,
And the contempt of families terrified me,
And kept silent and did not go out of doors?

35

Oh, that I had one to hear me!
Here is my mark.
Oh, that the Almighty would answer me,
That my [j]Prosecutor had written a book!

35

“Oh that I had one to hear me!
Behold, here is my signature;
Let the Almighty answer me!
And the indictment which my adversary has written,

36

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder,
And bind it on me like a crown;

36

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder,
I would bind it to myself like a crown.

37

I would declare to Him the number of my steps;
Like a prince I would approach Him.

37

“I would declare to Him the number of my steps;
Like a prince I would approach Him.

38

“If my land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together;

38

“If my land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together;

39

If I have eaten its [k]fruit without money,
Or caused its owners to lose their lives;

39

If I have eaten its fruit without money,
Or have caused its owners to lose their lives,

40

Then let thistles grow instead of wheat,
And weeds instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.

40

Let briars grow instead of wheat,
And stinkweed instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.

Parallel

New King James Version

New American Standard Bible

Job 31

Job 31