Job’s Final Defense Continued

1 “I made a covenant with my eyes,

sohow could I look closely upon a virgin?

2 And what is the portion of God from above

orthe heritage of Shaddai from on high?

3 Is not disaster for the evil one

and ruin for the workers of mischief?

4 Does he not see my ways

and count all my steps?

5 “If I have walked with falseness,

and my foot has hastened to deceit,

6 let him weigh me in the balance of justice,

and let God know my blamelessness.

7 If my steps have turned aside from the way,

and my heart has walked after my eyes,

and my hand has clung to a spot,

8 let me sow, and let another eat,

and let my crops be rooted out.

9 “If my heart has been enticed by a woman,

and at my neighbor’s doorway I have lain in wait,

10 let my wife grind for another,

and let other men kneel over her,

11 for that is a shameful act,

and that is a criminal offense.

12 Indeed, that is a fire that will consume up to Abaddon,

and it would uproot all my crop.

13 “If I have rejected my male orfemale slave’s case

when their complaint was against me,

14 thenwhat shall I do when God rises up?

And when he enquires, how shall I answer him?

15 Did not he who made me in the womb make them?

And did not one fashion us in the womb?

16 “If I have withheld the desire of the poor from them,

orI have caused the widow’s eyes to fail,

17 or I have eaten my morsel alone,

and the orphan has not eaten from it

18 (for from my childhood hegrew up withme like a father,

and from my mother’s womb I guided her),

19 if I have seen the one who perishes because of no clothing

orthat there is no covering for the poor,

20 if his loins have not blessed me,

orby means of my sheep’s fleece he has warmed himself,

21 if I have raised my hand against an orphan

because I saw my supporters at the gate,

22 then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,

and let my arm be broken from its socket.

23 Indeed, the disaster from God was a dread for me,

and I was powerlessbecause of his majesty.

24 “If I have made gold my trust,

orI have called fine gold my security,

25 if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great

orbecause my hand found a fortune,

26 if I looked at the sun when it shone

orat the moon moving in splendor,

27 and I was secretly enticed,

and my hand threw them a kiss,

28 this also is an iniquity to be judged,

for I have deceived God above.

29 “If I have rejoiced at the ruin of the one who hated me

orhave exulted when evil overtook him—

30 no,I have not allowed my mouth to sin,

to ask his life with a curse.

31 Have the people of my tent not said,

‘O thatsomeonehad not been satisfied with his meat’?

32 An alien has not lodged in the street;

I have opened my door to the traveler.

33 Have I concealedmy transgressions as other human beings

to hide my iniquity in my bosom

34 because I dreaded the great multitude,

and the contempt of clans terrified me,

so that I kept quiet, I did not go out of the doorway?

35 O thatI hadsomeone hearing me!

Here is my signature;

let Shaddai answer me!

As forthe written communication that my adversaryhas written,

36 I would surelycarry it on my shoulder;

I would bind it on me like a crown.

37 I would give him an account of my steps;

I would approach him like a noble.

38 If my land has cried out against me,

and its furrows have wept together,

39 if I have eaten its yield without payment,

orI have caused the breath of its owners to die,

40 let thorns grow in place of wheat

and noxious weeds in place of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.