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2 For what portion would there be from God above,
and what inheritance from the Almighty on High?
3 Is not calamity for the wicked,
and disaster for the workers of iniquity?
4 Does He not see my ways,
and number all my steps?
5 “If I have walked in falsehood,
or my foot has hurried after deceit,
6 may God weigh me with honest scales,
then He will recognize my integrity.
7 If my step has turned aside from the way,
or my heart has followed my eyes,
or if any blemish adheres to my hands,
8 then may me sow but another eat,
and may my crops be rooted out.
9 “If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
or if I have lurked at my neighbour’s door,
10 then let my wife grind for another,
and let another man sleep with her.
11 For that would been a criminal act;
an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
12 It would be a fire that consumes down to Abaddon,
it would have uprooted all my harvest.
13 “If I have despised the claim of my male or female servants
when they made a complaint against me,
14 what then will I do when God confronts me?
When He calls me to account, how shall I answer Him?
15 Did not He who made me in the womb make them also?
Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?
16 “If I ever refused the poor their needs,
or allowed the eyes of the widow to fail,
17 if I have ever eaten my morsel of food alone,
and not shared it with the erless—
18 for from my youth I raised him as would a father,
and from my birth I always guided the widow—
19 if I have ever seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
or anyone needy without a cloak—
20 and his heart-felt blessing did not reach me
because he was warmed with fleece from my sheep—
21 if I ever lifted my hand against the fatherless,
when I saw I had support at the city gate,
22 then may my arm fall off my shoulder,
may my forearm be torn off at the elbow.
23 For I am terrified at the prospect of calamity from God,
and for fear of His majesty I could not do such things.
24 “If I have made gold my confidence,
or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security’,
25 if I have rejoiced because my wealth is great—
of the fortune my own hands gained,
26 if I have ever been drawn to the sun as it shined,
or the moon as it moved in splendour,
27 and my heart became secretly enticed,
so my hand offered them up a venerant kiss,
28 then these also would be iniquities to be punished by a judge,
for I would have denied God above.
29 “Have I ever rejoiced at the misfortune of my enemy,
or exulted when evil befell him?
30 I have not allowed my mouth to sin
by asking for his life with a curse.
31 Have the men of my household ever said,
‘Who has not had his fill of meat at Job’s table?’
32 No stranger has ever had to lodge in the street,
for I always kept my door opened to the traveller.
33 Have I ever concealed my transgressions as men do,
by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
34 because I greatly feared the crowds,
and the contempt of the clans so terrified me
that I kept silent and would not go outside?
35 “If only I had someone to hear my case!
Here is my signature on the writ;
let the Almighty answer me!
Let my adversary write an indictment,
36 I would surely carry it on my shoulder,
and bind it on me like a crown.
37 I would give him an account of all my steps;
I would approach him like a prince.
38 “If my land cries out against me
and its furrows weep together,
39 if I have consumed its yield without payment
or shown contempt for the tenants,
40 then may thorns grow instead of wheat,
and weeds instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.