134 lines
3.8 KiB
Markdown
134 lines
3.8 KiB
Markdown
Job's Final Appeal
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# Chapter 31
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1. "I have made a covenant with my eyes;
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how then could I gaze at a virgin?
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2. What would be my portion from God above
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and my heritage from the Almighty on high?
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3. Is not calamity for the unrighteous,
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and disaster for the workers of iniquity?
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4. Does not he see my ways
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and number all my steps?
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5. "If I have walked with falsehood
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and my foot has hastened to deceit;
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6. (Let me be weighed in a just balance,
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and let God know my integrity!)
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7. if my step has turned aside from the way
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and my heart has gone after my eyes,
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and if any spot has stuck to my hands,
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8. then let me sow, and another eat,
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and let what grows for me be rooted out.
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9. "If my heart has been enticed toward a woman,
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and I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door,
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10. then let my wife grind for another,
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and let others bow down on her.
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11. For that would be a heinous crime;
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that would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges;
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12. for that would be a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon,
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and it would burn to the root all my increase.
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13. "If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant,
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when they brought a complaint against me,
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14. what then shall I do when God rises up?
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When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?
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15. Did not he who made me in the womb make him?
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And did not one fashion us in the womb?
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16. "If I have withheld anything that the poor desired,
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or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
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17. or have eaten my morsel alone,
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and the fatherless has not eaten of it
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18. (for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father,
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and from my mother's womb I guided the widow),
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19. if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
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or the needy without covering,
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20. if his body has not blessed me,
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and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
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21. if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,
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because I saw my help in the gate,
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22. then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,
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and let my arm be broken from its socket.
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23. For I was in terror of calamity from God,
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and I could not have faced his majesty.
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24. "If I have made gold my trust
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or called fine gold my confidence,
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25. if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant
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or because my hand had found much,
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26. if I have looked at the sun when it shone,
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or the moon moving in splendor,
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27. and my heart has been secretly enticed,
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and my mouth has kissed my hand,
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28. this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
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for I would have been false to God above.
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29. "If I have rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me,
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or exulted when evil overtook him
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30. (I have not let my mouth sin
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by asking for his life with a curse),
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31. if the men of my tent have not said,
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'Who is there that has not been filled with his meat?'
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32. (the sojourner has not lodged in the street;
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I have opened my doors to the traveler),
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33. if I have concealed my transgressions as others do
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by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
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34. because I stood in great fear of the multitude,
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and the contempt of families terrified me,
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so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors--
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35. Oh, that I had one to hear me!
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(Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!)
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Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary!
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36. Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;
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I would bind it on me as a crown;
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37. I would give him an account of all my steps;
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like a prince I would approach him.
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38. "If my land has cried out against me
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and its furrows have wept together,
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39. if I have eaten its yield without payment
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and made its owners breathe their last,
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40. let thorns grow instead of wheat,
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and foul weeds instead of barley."
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The words of Job are ended.
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