Job 31
Evangelical Heritage Version
Job’s Morality
31 I have made a covenant with my eyes.
How then could I stare at a virgin with desire?
2 If I did, what reward would I receive from God above?
What inheritance from the Almighty on high?
3 Is not ruin the reward for the wicked,
and misfortune the reward for evildoers?
4 But doesn’t God see my ways?
Doesn’t he count my every step?
5 Have I walked with deceit and lies?
Has my foot hurried to pursue fraud?
6 If God weighs me on an honest scale,
he will know my integrity.
7 If my footsteps have slipped off the path,
if my heart has pursued things desired by my eyes,
if anything corrupt has stuck to my palms,
8 then let someone else eat what I have sown.
Let my crops be uprooted.
9 If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
if I have lurked at my neighbor’s doorway,
10 let my wife grind for another,
and let other men crouch down over her.
11 For that would have been shameful behavior,
a guilty deed worthy of judgment.
12 There is a fire that consumes all the way to hell,[a]
that would completely burn up all my harvest.
13 If I have denied justice to my male servants
or to my female servants in their disputes with me,
14 then what would I do when God arises,
when he comes to call me to account?
How could I respond to him?
15 Didn’t he who made me in the womb also make my servant?
Didn’t the same God fashion us both in the womb?
16 If I have withheld from the poor what they desired,
if I have darkened the eyes of the widow,
17 if I have eaten my food all by myself
and have not shared it with the fatherless—
18 no, from the time of my youth, the fatherless child grew up with me,
and I was like a father to him.
From the womb of my mother I guided the widow.
19 If I saw anyone perishing from lack of clothing,
if the needy had nothing to wear,
20 his very body blessed me,
as he was warmed by the wool from my sheep.
21 If I raised my hand against the fatherless child,
because I had influence in the court at the city gate,
22 then let my shoulder be knocked out of its socket,
and let my upper arm be broken.
23 Now doom from God terrifies me,
and I cannot endure his majesty.
24 If I placed my confidence in gold,
and if I said to pure gold, “You are my security,”
25 if I rejoiced because I was so rich
and because my hand had obtained so much,
26 if I saw the shining sun and the moon moving in its splendor,
27 if my heart was gullible enough to worship them in secret,
and I kissed my hand to honor them,
28 that would have made me guilty and deserving of judgment,
for I would have denied God above.
29 If I rejoiced at the misfortune of someone who hates me,
or I was thrilled because trouble caught up with him—
30 but no, I have not savored sin by asking for a curse on his life.
31 Did the men in my tent ever have to say
that there was someone who had not been filled with meat from Job?[b]
32 No stranger ever had to spend the night outside.
I have opened my door to the traveler.
33 If I had covered up my sin like Adam,[c]
and I had hidden my guilt in my heart,
34 because I was frightened of the crowd,
and the contempt of the clans filled me with terror,
so that I was silent and I did not go out of a door—
35 Oh how I wish I had someone to listen to me!
Look, here is my seal on my testimony.
Let the Almighty answer me!
Let me see the written indictment from my accuser.
36 I would lift it up on my shoulder.
I would place it on my head as a crown.
37 I would account to him for every single step.
I would approach him like the chief of a tribe.
38 If my soil cries out against me,
and its furrows weep because of me,
39 if I have consumed its wealth without paying for it,
if I have caused the death of its owners,
40 then let a thorn bush grow up instead of wheat,
and stinkweeds instead of barley.
The words of Job are concluded.
Job 31
La Palabra (España)
Declaración de inocencia
31 Yo hice un pacto con mis ojos
de no fijarme en doncella.
2 ¿Qué suerte nos reserva Dios allá arriba,
qué herencia nos guarda
el Todopoderoso en lo alto?
3 ¿No reserva el desastre al criminal
y no le espera el fracaso al malhechor?
4 ¿No vigila mi conducta
y observa mis andanzas?
5 ¿Caminé acompañado del embuste
y han corrido mis pies tras la mentira?
6 Que me pese en balanza sin trampa
y así comprobará Dios mi integridad.
7 Si aparté mis pasos del camino,
guiado por los caprichos de mis ojos;
si se pegó alguna mancha a mis manos,
8 ¡que otro devore mi sembrado,
que me arranquen mis retoños!
9 Si cedí a la atracción de otra mujer,
acechando a la puerta del vecino,
10 ¡que mi esposa muela para otro,
que un extraño se acueste con ella!
11 Pues sería un caso de infamia,
una ofensa que reclama justicia:
12 un fuego que consumiría hasta el Abismo,
que devoraría mi hacienda de raíz.
13 Si denegué su derecho al esclavo
o a la esclava, que pleiteaban conmigo,
14 ¿qué haré cuando Dios se levante,
qué responderé cuando me interrogue?
15 ¿No los hizo en el vientre como a mí
y no nos formó en el seno el mismo Dios?
16 Si me cerré al débil necesitado
o a la viuda consumida por el llanto;
17 si comí el pan en soledad
sin querer compartirlo con el huérfano
18 (yo que desde joven lo cuidé como un padre
y lo guié desde el día en que nació);
19 si vi a un transeúnte sin vestido
o a un pobre sin nada que ponerse
20 y no me lo agradecieron sus cuerpos,
calientes con la lana de mis ovejas;
21 si alcé la mano contra el huérfano
contando con el apoyo del tribunal,
22 ¡que se me salga el hombro de la espalda,
que se me rompa el brazo por el codo!
23 Me aterra el castigo de Dios,
nada podría frente a su majestad.
24 No puse en el oro mi confianza
ni llamé “seguridad” al oro fino;
25 no me complacía en mi inmensa riqueza,
en la fortuna conseguida con mis manos.
26 No miré al sol en su esplendor
ni a la luna en su curso luminoso,
27 dejándome seducir en secreto
y enviándoles un beso con la mano.
28 También sería una ofensa criminal,
una traición al Dios Altísimo.
29 No disfruté con la ruina del enemigo,
ni gocé cuando la desgracia lo abatió;
30 tampoco permití que mi lengua pecara
pidiendo su muerte con maldiciones.
31 Cuando los de mi casa decían:
“¡Quién pudiera saciarse de su carne!”,
32 el forastero no durmió al sereno,
porque abrí mis puertas al viajero.
33 No oculté mi pecado como Adán,
ni escondí mi delito en mi interior;
34 no he guardado silencio
ni he dejado de salir a la calle
por miedo a la opinión de los demás,
por temor al desprecio de mi gente.
35 ¡Ojalá hubiera quien me escuchara!
¡Aquí está mi firma!
¡Que responda el Todopoderoso!
¡Que mi rival redacte su alegato!
36 Juro que lo llevaré sobre el hombro
o ceñido como una diadema.
37 Le daría cuenta de mis pasos,
saldría a su encuentro como un príncipe.
38 Si mis campos me recriminan algo
y sus surcos lloran al unísono,
39 por comer sus frutos sin pagarlos
y dejar sin su jornal a los braceros,
40 ¡que en vez de trigo produzcan espinas;
en vez de cebada, ortigas!
Fin de las palabras de Job.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
La Palabra, (versión española) © 2010 Texto y Edición, Sociedad Bíblica de España