Common English Bible CEB
New Revised Standard NRS
1 I've made a covenant with my eyes; how could I look at a virgin?
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"I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I look upon a virgin?
2 What is God's portion for me from above, the Almighty's inheritance from on high?
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What would be my portion from God above, and my heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 Isn't it disaster for the wicked, destruction for workers of iniquity?
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Does not calamity befall the unrighteous, and disaster the workers of iniquity?
4 Doesn't he see my ways, count all my steps?
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Does he not see my ways, and number all my steps?
5 If I have walked with frauds or my feet have hurried to deceit,
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"If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit—
6 let him weigh me on accurate scales; let God know my integrity.
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let me be weighed in a just balance, and let God know my integrity!—
7 If my step has turned from the way, if my heart has followed my eyes or a blemish has clung to my hands,
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if my step has turned aside from the way, and my heart has followed my eyes, and if any spot has clung to my hands;
8 then let me sow and another reap; let my offspring be uprooted.
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then let me sow, and another eat; and let what grows for me be rooted out.
9 If my heart has been drawn to a woman and I have lurked at my neighbor's door,
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"If my heart has been enticed by a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door;
10 then may my wife grind for another and others kneel over her;
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then let my wife grind for another, and let other men kneel over her.
11 for that's a crime; it's a punishable offense;
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For that would be a heinous crime; that would be a criminal offense;
12 indeed, it's a fire that consumes to the underworld, uprooting all my harvest.
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for that would be a fire consuming down to Abaddon, and it would burn to the root all my harvest.
13 If I've rejected the just cause of my male or female servant when they contended with me,
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"If I have rejected the cause of my male or female slaves, when they brought a complaint against me;
14 what could I do when God rises; when he requires an account, what could I answer?
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what then shall I do when God rises up? When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?
15 Didn't the one who made me in the belly make them; didn't the same one fashion us in the womb?
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Did not he who made me in the womb make them? And did not one fashion us in the womb?
16 If I have denied what the poor wanted, made a widow's eyes tired,
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"If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17 eaten my morsel alone, and not shared any with an orphan
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or have eaten my morsel alone, and the orphan has not eaten from it—
18 (for from my youth I raised the orphan as a father, and from my mother's womb I led the widow);
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for from my youth I reared the orphan like a father, and from my mother's womb I guided the widow —
19 if I ever saw someone dying without clothes, the needy naked;
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if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or a poor person without covering,
20 if they haven't blessed me fervently, or if they weren't warmed by the wool from my sheep;
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whose loins have not blessed me, and who was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21 if I have lifted my hand against the orphans, when I saw that I had help in the city gate—
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if I have raised my hand against the orphan, because I saw I had supporters at the gate;
22 may my arm fall from my shoulder, my forearm be broken at the elbow—
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then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder, and let my arm be broken from its socket.
23 for God's calamity is terror to me; I couldn't endure his splendor.
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For I was in terror of calamity from God, and I could not have faced his majesty.
24 If I've made gold my trust, said to fine gold: "My security!"
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"If I have made gold my trust, or called fine gold my confidence;
25 if I've rejoiced because my wealth was great, when my hand found plenty;
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if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, or because my hand had gotten much;
26 if I've looked at the sun when it shone, the moon, splendid as it moved;
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if I have looked at the sun when it shone, or the moon moving in splendor,
27 and my mind has been secretly enticed, and threw a kiss with my hand,
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and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand;
28 that also is a punishable offense, because I would then be disloyal to God above.
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this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I should have been false to God above.
29 If I have rejoiced over my foes' ruin or was excited when evil found them,
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"If I have rejoiced at the ruin of those who hated me, or exulted when evil overtook them—
30 I didn't let my mouth sin by asking for their life with a curse.
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I have not let my mouth sin by asking for their lives with a curse—
31 Surely those in my tent never said: "Who has been filled by Job's food?"
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if those of my tent ever said, "O that we might be sated with his flesh!' —
32 A stranger didn't spend the night in the street; I opened my doors to the road.
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the stranger has not lodged in the street; I have opened my doors to the traveler—
33 If I have hidden my transgressions like Adam, concealing my offenses inside me
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if I have concealed my transgressions as others do, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
34 because I feared the large crowd; the clan's contempt frightened me; I was quiet and didn't venture outside.
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because 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—
35 Oh, that I had someone to hear me! Here's my signature; let the Almighty respond, and let my accuser write an indictment.
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O that I had one to hear me! (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!) O, that I had the indictment written by my adversary!
36 Surely I would bear it on my shoulder, tie it around me like a wreath.
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Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; I would bind it on me like a crown;
37 I would give him an account of my steps, approach him like a prince.
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I would give him an account of all my steps; like a prince I would approach him.
38 If my land has cried out against me, its rows wept together;
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"If my land has cried out against me, and its furrows have wept together;
39 if I have eaten its yield without payment and caused its owners grief,
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if I have eaten its yield without payment, and caused the death of its owners;
40 may briars grow instead of wheat, poisonous weeds instead of barley. Job's words are complete.
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let thorns grow instead of wheat, and foul weeds instead of barley." The words of Job are ended.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.