16 “If I have denied the desires of the poor

or let the eyes of the widow grow weary,

17 if I have kept my bread to myself,

not sharing it with the fatherless—

18 but from my youth I reared them as a father would,

and from my birth I guided the widow—

19 if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing,

or the needy without garments,

20 and their hearts did not bless me

for warming them with the fleece from my sheep,

21 if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,

knowing that I had influence in court,

22 then let my arm fall from the shoulder,

let it be broken off at the joint.

23 For I dreaded destruction from God,

and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things.

16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire,

Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone,

And the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;

18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father,

And I have guided her from my mother’s womb;)

19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing,

Or any poor without covering;

20 If his loins have not blessed me,

And if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless,

When I saw my help in the gate:

22 Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade,

And mine arm be broken from the bone.

23 For destruction from God was a terror to me,

And by reason of his highness I could not endure.

16 “Have I refused to help the poor,

or crushed the hopes of widows?

17 Have I been stingy with my food

and refused to share it with orphans?

18 No, from childhood I have cared for orphans like a father,

and all my life I have cared for widows.

19 Whenever I saw the homeless without clothes

and the needy with nothing to wear,

20 did they not praise me

for providing wool clothing to keep them warm?

21 “If I raised my hand against an orphan,

knowing the judges would take my side,

22 then let my shoulder be wrenched out of place!

Let my arm be torn from its socket!

23 That would be better than facing God’s judgment.

For if the majesty of God opposes me, what hope is there?

16 “If I have kept the poor from their desire,

Or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17 Or eaten my morsel by myself,

So that the fatherless could not eat of it

18 (But from my youth I reared him as a father,

And from my mother’s womb I guided the widow);

19 If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,

Or any poor man without covering;

20 If his heart has not blessed me,

And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21 If I have raised my hand against the fatherless,

When I saw I had help in the gate;

22 Then let my arm fall from my shoulder,

Let my arm be torn from the socket.

23 For destruction from God is a terror to me,

And because of His magnificence I cannot endure.

16 “I have never refused the appeals of the poor

or let widows give up hope while looking for help.

17 I have not kept my food to myself

but have given it to the orphans.

18 Since I was young, I have been like a father to the orphans.

From my birth I guided the widows.

19 I have not let anyone die for lack of clothes

or let a needy person go without a coat.

20 That person’s heart blessed me,

because I warmed him with the wool of my sheep.

21 I have never hurt an orphan

even when I knew I could win in court.

22 If I have, then let my arm fall off my shoulder

and be broken at the joint.

23 I fear destruction from God,

and I fear his majesty, so I could not do such things.

16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire,

Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17 Or have eaten my morsel alone,

And the fatherless hath not eaten thereof

18 (Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,

And her have I guided from my mother’s womb);

19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing,

Or that the needy had no covering;

20 If his loins have not blessed me,

And if he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless,

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 is a terror to me,

And by reason of his majesty I can do nothing.

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.

16 “If I have refused the requests of the poor 

or made a widow’s eyes stop ⸤looking for help⸥, 

17 or have eaten my food alone 

without letting the orphan eat any of it.… 

18 (From my youth the orphan grew up with me 

as though I were his father, 

and from my birth I treated the widow kindly.) 

19 If I have seen anyone die because he had no clothes 

or a poor person going naked.… 

20 (If his body didn’t bless me, 

or the wool from my sheep didn’t keep him warm.…) 

21 If I have shaken my fist at an orphan 

because I knew that others would back me up in court, 

22 ⸤then⸥ let my shoulder fall out of its socket, 

and let my arm be broken at the elbow. 

23 “A disaster from God terrifies me. 

In the presence of his majesty I can do nothing. 

16 If I have refused the wishes of the poor

or let the widow’s eyes go blind,

17 if I have eaten my few crumbs alone

without letting the fatherless eat any of it—

18 for from my youth, I raised him as his father,

and since the day I was born I guided the widow—

19 if I have seen anyone dying for lack of clothing

or a needy person without a cloak,

20 if he did not bless me

while warming himself with the fleece from my sheep,

21 if I ever cast my vote against a fatherless child

when I saw that I had support in the city gate,

22 then let my shoulder blade fall from my back,

and my arm be pulled from its socket.

23 For disaster from God terrifies me,

and because of His majesty I could not do these things.

16 “If I have withheld anything that the poor desired,

or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17 or have eaten my morsel alone,

and the orphan has not eaten from it—

18 for from my youth I reared the orphan like a father,

and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—

19 if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,

or a poor person without covering,

20 whose loins have not blessed me,

and who was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21 if I have raised my hand against the orphan,

because I saw I had supporters at the gate;

22 then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,

and let my arm be broken from its socket.

23 For I was in terror of calamity from God,

and I could not have faced his majesty.

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

or I 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 he grew up with me 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

or that there is no covering for the poor,

20 if his loins have not blessed me,

or by 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 powerless because of his majesty.

16 “I haven’t said no to what poor people have wanted.

I haven’t let widows lose their hope.

17 I haven’t kept my bread to myself.

I’ve shared it with children whose fathers had died.

18 From the time I was young, I’ve helped those widows.

I’ve raised those children as a father would.

19 Suppose I’ve seen people dying

because they didn’t have any clothes.

I’ve seen needy people

who had nothing to wear.

20 And they didn’t give me their blessing

when I warmed them with wool from my sheep.

21 Suppose I’ve raised my hand

against children whose fathers have died.

And I did it because I knew

I had power in the courts.

22 Then let my arm fall from my shoulder.

Let it be broken off at the joint.

23 I was afraid God would destroy me.

His glory terrifies me.

So I’d never do things like that.

16 “If I have kept the poor from their desire,

Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17 Or have eaten my morsel alone,

And the orphan has not shared it

18 (But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,

And from infancy I guided her),

19 If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,

Or that the needy had no covering,

20 If his loins have not thanked me,

And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

21 If I have lifted up my hand against the orphan,

Because I saw I had support in the gate,

22 Let my shoulder fall from the socket,

And my arm be broken off at the elbow.

23 “For calamity from God is a terror to me,

And because of His majesty I can do nothing.