New International Version NIV
Common English Bible CEB
1 “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman.
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I've made a covenant with my eyes; how could I look at a virgin?
2 For what is our lot from God above, our heritage from the Almighty on high?
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What is God's portion for me from above, the Almighty's inheritance from on high?
3 Is it not ruin for the wicked, disaster for those who do wrong?
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Isn't it disaster for the wicked, destruction for workers of iniquity?
4 Does he not see my ways and count my every step?
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Doesn't he see my ways, count all my steps?
5 “If I have walked with falsehood or my foot has hurried after deceit—
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If I have walked with frauds or my feet have hurried to deceit,
6 let God weigh me in honest scales and he will know that I am blameless—
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let him weigh me on accurate scales; let God know my integrity.
7 if my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has been led by my eyes, or if my hands have been defiled,
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If my step has turned from the way, if my heart has followed my eyes or a blemish has clung to my hands,
8 then may others eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.
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then let me sow and another reap; let my offspring be uprooted.
9 “If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,
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If my heart has been drawn to a woman and I have lurked at my neighbor's door,
10 then may my wife grind another man’s grain, and may other men sleep with her.
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then may my wife grind for another and others kneel over her;
11 For that would have been wicked, a sin to be judged.
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for that's a crime; it's a punishable offense;
12 It is a fire that burns to Destruction ; it would have uprooted my harvest.
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indeed, it's a fire that consumes to the underworld, uprooting all my harvest.
13 “If I have denied justice to any of my servants, whether male or female, when they had a grievance against me,
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If I've rejected the just cause of my male or female servant when they contended with me,
14 what will I do when God confronts me? What will I answer when called to account?
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what could I do when God rises; when he requires an account, what could I answer?
15 Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?
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Didn't the one who made me in the belly make them; didn't the same one fashion us in the womb?
16 “If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary,
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If I have denied what the poor wanted, made a widow's eyes tired,
17 if I have kept my bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless—
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eaten my morsel alone, and not shared any with an orphan
18 but from my youth I reared them as a father would, and from my birth I guided the widow—
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(for from my youth I raised the orphan as a father, and from my mother's womb I led the widow);
19 if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or the needy without garments,
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if I ever saw someone dying without clothes, the needy naked;
20 and their hearts did not bless me for warming them with the fleece from my sheep,
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if they haven't blessed me fervently, or if they weren't warmed by the wool from my sheep;
21 if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, knowing that I had influence in court,
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if I have lifted my hand against the orphans, when I saw that I had help in the city gate—
22 then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let it be broken off at the joint.
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may my arm fall from my shoulder, my forearm be broken at the elbow—
23 For I dreaded destruction from God, and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things.
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for God's calamity is terror to me; I couldn't endure his splendor.
24 “If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’
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If I've made gold my trust, said to fine gold: "My security!"
25 if I have rejoiced over my great wealth, the fortune my hands had gained,
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if I've rejoiced because my wealth was great, when my hand found plenty;
26 if I have regarded the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor,
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if I've looked at the sun when it shone, the moon, splendid as it moved;
27 so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,
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and my mind has been secretly enticed, and threw a kiss with my hand,
28 then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.
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that also is a punishable offense, because I would then be disloyal to God above.
29 “If I have rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortune or gloated over the trouble that came to him—
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If I have rejoiced over my foes' ruin or was excited when evil found them,
30 I have not allowed my mouth to sin by invoking a curse against their life—
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I didn't let my mouth sin by asking for their life with a curse.
31 if those of my household have never said, ‘Who has not been filled with Job’s meat?’—
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Surely those in my tent never said: "Who has been filled by Job's food?"
32 but no stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveler—
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A stranger didn't spend the night in the street; I opened my doors to the road.
33 if I have concealed my sin as people do,by hiding my guilt in my heart
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If I have hidden my transgressions like Adam, concealing my offenses inside me
34 because I so feared the crowd and so dreaded the contempt of the clans that I kept silent and would not go outside—
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because I feared the large crowd; the clan's contempt frightened me; I was quiet and didn't venture outside.
35 (“Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing.
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Oh, that I had someone to hear me! Here's my signature; let the Almighty respond, and let my accuser write an indictment.
36 Surely I would wear it on my shoulder, I would put it on like a crown.
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Surely I would bear it on my shoulder, tie it around me like a wreath.
37 I would give him an account of my every step; I would present it to him as to a ruler.)—
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I would give him an account of my steps, approach him like a prince.
38 “if my land cries out against me and all its furrows are wet with tears,
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If my land has cried out against me, its rows wept together;
39 if I have devoured its yield without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants,
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if I have eaten its yield without payment and caused its owners grief,
40 then let briers come up instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
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may briars grow instead of wheat, poisonous weeds instead of barley. Job's words are complete.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible