1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; and how should I fix my regard upon a maid?2 For what would have been {my} portion of +God from above, and what the heritage of the Almighty from on high?3 Is not calamity for the unrighteous? and misfortune for the workers of iniquity?4 Doth not he see my ways, and number all my steps?5 If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot hath hasted to deceit,6 (Let me be weighed in an even balance, and +God will take knowledge of my blamelessness;)7 If my step have turned out of the way, and my heart followed mine eyes, and if any blot cleaveth to my hands;8 Let me sow, and another eat; and let mine offspring be rooted out.9 If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, so that I laid wait at my neighbour's door,10 Let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down upon her.11 For this is an infamy; yea, it is an iniquity {to be judged by} the judges:12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.13 If I have despised the cause of my bondman or of my bondmaid, when they contended with me,14 What then should I do when *God riseth up? and if he visited, what should I answer him?15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not One fashion us in the womb?16 If I have withheld the poor from {their} desire, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail;17 Or have eaten my morsel alone, so that the fatherless ate not thereof,18 (For from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided the {widow} from my mother's womb;)19 If I have seen any perishing for want of clothing, or any needy without covering;20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my lambs;21 If I have lifted up my hand against an orphan, because I saw my help in the gate:22 {Then} let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone!23 For calamity from *God was a terror to me, and by reason of his excellency I was powerless.24 If I have made gold my hope, or said to the fine gold, My confidence!25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;26 If I beheld the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in brightness,27 And my heart have been secretly enticed, so that my mouth kissed my hand:28 This also would be an iniquity for the judge, for I should have denied the *God who is above.29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, and exulted when evil befell him;30 (Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse;)31 If the men of my tent said not, Who shall find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat? -32 The stranger did not lodge without; I opened my doors to the pathway.33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,34 Because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door, ...35 Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold my signature: let the Almighty answer me! And let mine opponent write an accusation!36 Would I not take it upon my shoulder? I would bind it on to me {as} a crown;37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I come near to him.38 If my land cry out against me, and its furrows weep together;39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have tormented to death the souls of its owners:40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and tares instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.

1 Ek het 'n verbond gesluit met my oë: hoe sou ek dan ag gegee het op 'n jonkvrou?2 Wat tog is die lot wat God daarbo beskik, en die erfdeel van die Almagtige uit die hoogtes --3 is dit nie ondergang vir die kwaaddoener en ongeluk vir die werkers van ongeregtigheid nie?4 Sien Hy nie my weë nie, en tel Hy nie al my voetstappe nie?5 As ek met leuens omgegaan het en my voet gehardloop het na bedrog:6 laat Hy my dan weeg op 'n regte weegskaal, sodat God my onskuld kan weet!7 As my gang afgewyk het van die weg en my hart agter my oë aangegaan het en aan my hande 'n vlek gekleef het --8 laat my dan saai en iemand anders eet, en laat my uitspruitsels ontwortel word.9 As my hart verlok was oor 'n vrou, en ek geloer het by die deur van my naaste --10 laat dan my vrou vir iemand anders maal en ander hulle oor haar buig.11 Want dit is 'n skandelike daad, en dit is 'n strafbare misdaad.12 Ja, dit is 'n vuur wat tot by die plek van vertering toe vreet en al my opbrings sou ontwortel.13 As ek gering geag het die reg van my slaaf of van my slavin toe hulle 'n geskil met my gehad het --14 wat sou ek dan doen as God opstaan? En wat Hom antwoord as Hy ondersoek doen?15 Het Hy wat my in die moederskoot gemaak het, hom nie gemaak nie? En het Een ons nie in die geboorte toeberei nie?16 As ek die armes 'n versoek geweier het en die oë van die weduwee laat versmag het17 en my stukkie brood alleen geëet het sonder om die wees daarvan te laat saameet;19 as ek iemand sien omkom het sonder klere en dat daar geen bedekking vir die behoeftige was nie;20 as sy lendene my nie geseënen hy hom nie warm gemaak het van die skeersel van my lammers nie;21 as ek my hand teen 'n wees beweeg het, omdat ek in die poort vir my hulp gesien het --22 laat dan my skouer uit sy gewrig val en my arm van sy pyp afgebreek word.23 Want die ondergang wat God bewerk, was 'n skrik vir my; en weens sy hoogheid was ek onmagtig.24 As ek op goud my hoop gestel het en vir die fyn goud gesê het: My vertroue!25 As ek bly gewees het, omdat my vermoë groot was en my hand baie verwerf het;26 as ek die sonlig aangesien het wanneer dit helder skyn en die maan wat so pragtig daarheen gaan,27 en my hart heimlik verlei is, en ek met my hand hulle 'n kus toegewerp het --28 ook dit sou 'n strafbare misdaad wees, want ek sou God daarbo verloën het.29 As ek bly was oor die ongeluk van my hater en uitgejubel het toe onheil hom getref het;31 as die mense in my tent nie gesê het: Wie kan iemand vind wat van sy vleesspys nie versadig is nie?33 as ek, soos Adam, my oortredinge bedek het deur my ongeregtigheid in my boesem weg te steek,34 omdat ek bang was vir die groot menigte en die veragting van die geslagte my laat skrik het, sodat ek my stil gehou, die deur nie uitgegaan het nie!35 Ag, as iemand my maar wou aanhoor! Kyk hier my handtekening laat die Almagtige my antwoord! en die skrif wat my teëparty geskrywe het!36 Waarlik, op my skouer sou ek dit dra; ek sou dit my ombind as 'n krans.37 Die getal van my voetstappe sou ek Hom te kenne gee; as 'n vors sou ek na Hom toe aankom.38 As my saailand my aanklaag en sy vore almal saam ween;39 as ek sy opbrings geëet het sonder betaling en die lewe van sy eienaars uitgeblaas het --40 laat dan distels in plaas van koring uitspruit en onkruid in plaas van gars. Hier eindig die woorde van Job.