Job’s Final Appeal
“I have made a covenant with my aeyes;
how then could I gaze at a virgin?
2 What would be amy portion from God above
and amy heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 Is not calamity for the unrighteous,
and disaster for the workers of iniquity?
4 aDoes not he see my ways
and bnumber all my steps?
5 “If I have walked with falsehood
and my foot has hastened to deceit;
6 (Let me be aweighed in a just balance,
and let God know my integrity!)
7 if my step has turned aside from the way
and amy heart has gone after my eyes,
and if any bspot has stuck to my hands,
8 then let me asow, and another eat,
and let what grows for me be rooted out.
9 “If my heart has been enticed toward a woman,
and I have alain in wait at my neighbor’s door,
10 then let my wife agrind for another,
and let others bbow down on her.
11 For that would be a heinous crime;
that would be an iniquity ato be punished by the judges;
12 for that would be a fire athat consumes as far as Abaddon,
and it would burn to the root all my increase.
13 “If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant,
when they brought a complaint against me,
14 what then shall I do when God rises up?
When he amakes inquiry, what shall I answer him?
15 Did anot he who made me in the womb make him?
And did not one fashion us in the womb?
16 “If I have awithheld anything that the poor desired,
or have bcaused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17 or have eaten my morsel alone,
and the fatherless has not eaten of it
18 (for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father,
and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow),
19 if I have seen anyone aperish for black of clothing,
or the needy without bcovering,
20 if his body has not ablessed me,
and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21 if I have raised my hand against athe fatherless,
because I saw my help in bthe gate,
22 then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,
and let my arm be broken from its socket.
23 For I was ain terror of calamity from God,
and I could not have faced his amajesty.
24 a“If I have made gold my btrust
or called cfine gold my confidence,
25 if I have arejoiced because my wealth was abundant
or because bmy hand had found much,
26 aif I have looked at the sun when it shone,
or bthe moon moving in splendor,
27 and my heart has been secretly enticed,
and my mouth has kissed my hand,
28 this also would be aan iniquity to be punished by the judges,
for I would have been false to God above.
29 “If I have arejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me,
or exulted when evil overtook him
30 (aI have not let my mouth sin
by asking for his life with a curse),
31 if the men of my tent have not said,
‘Who is there that has not been filled with his ameat?’
32 (athe sojourner has not lodged in the street;
I have opened my doors to the traveler),
33 if I ahave concealed my transgressions bas others do
by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
34 because I stood in great fear of athe 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 one to hear me!
(Here is my signature! Let the Almighty aanswer me!)
Oh, that I had bthe indictment written by my adversary!
36 Surely I would carry it on my ashoulder;
I would bbind it on me as ca crown;
37 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
and its furrows have wept together,
39 aif I have eaten its yield without payment
and made its owners bbreathe their last,
40 let athorns grow instead of wheat,
and foul weeds instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.