Job 31
New Living Translation
Job’s Final Protest of Innocence
31 “I made a covenant with my eyes
not to look with lust at a young woman.
2 For what has God above chosen for us?
What is our inheritance from the Almighty on high?
3 Isn’t it calamity for the wicked
and misfortune for those who do evil?
4 Doesn’t he see everything I do
and every step I take?
5 “Have I lied to anyone
or deceived anyone?
6 Let God weigh me on the scales of justice,
for he knows my integrity.
7 If I have strayed from his pathway,
or if my heart has lusted for what my eyes have seen,
or if I am guilty of any other sin,
8 then let someone else eat the crops I have planted.
Let all that I have planted be uprooted.
9 “If my heart has been seduced by a woman,
or if I have lusted for my neighbor’s wife,
10 then let my wife serve[a] another man;
let other men sleep with her.
11 For lust is a shameful sin,
a crime that should be punished.
12 It is a fire that burns all the way to hell.[b]
It would wipe out everything I own.
13 “If I have been unfair to my male or female servants
when they brought their complaints to me,
14 how could I face God?
What could I say when he questioned me?
15 For God created both me and my servants.
He created us both in the womb.
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?
24 “Have I put my trust in money
or felt secure because of my gold?
25 Have I gloated about my wealth
and all that I own?
26 “Have I looked at the sun shining in the skies,
or the moon walking down its silver pathway,
27 and been secretly enticed in my heart
to throw kisses at them in worship?
28 If so, I should be punished by the judges,
for it would mean I had denied the God of heaven.
29 “Have I ever rejoiced when disaster struck my enemies,
or become excited when harm came their way?
30 No, I have never sinned by cursing anyone
or by asking for revenge.
31 “My servants have never said,
‘He let others go hungry.’
32 I have never turned away a stranger
but have opened my doors to everyone.
33 “Have I tried to hide my sins like other people do,
concealing my guilt in my heart?
34 Have I feared the crowd
or the contempt of the masses,
so that I kept quiet and stayed indoors?
35 “If only someone would listen to me!
Look, I will sign my name to my defense.
Let the Almighty answer me.
Let my accuser write out the charges against me.
36 I would face the accusation proudly.
I would wear it like a crown.
37 For I would tell him exactly what I have done.
I would come before him like a prince.
38 “If my land accuses me
and all its furrows cry out together,
39 or if I have stolen its crops
or murdered its owners,
40 then let thistles grow on that land instead of wheat,
and weeds instead of barley.”
Job’s words are ended.
Job 31
New American Standard Bible
Job Asserts His Integrity
31 “I have made a covenant with my (A)eyes;
How then could I look at a virgin?
2 And what is (B)the portion of God from above,
Or the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3 Is it not (C)disaster to the criminal,
And misfortune to (D)those who practice injustice?
4 Does He not (E)see my ways,
And (F)count all my steps?
5 “If I have (G)walked with deception,
And my foot has hurried after deceit,
6 Let Him (H)weigh me with [a]accurate scales,
And let God know (I)my integrity.
7 If my step has (J)turned from the way,
Or my heart [b]followed my eyes,
Or if any (K)spot has stuck to my hands,
8 Let me (L)sow and another eat,
And let my [c](M)crops be uprooted.
9 “If my heart has been (N)enticed by a woman,
Or I have lurked at my neighbor’s doorway,
10 May my wife (O)grind grain for another,
And let (P)others [d]kneel down over her.
11 For that would be a (Q)lustful crime;
Moreover, it would be (R)wrongdoing punishable by judges.
12 For it would be (S)fire that consumes to [e](T)Abaddon,
And would (U)uproot all my [f]increase.
13 “If I have (V)rejected the claim of my male or female slaves
When they filed a complaint against me,
14 What then could I do when God arises?
And when He calls me to account, how am I to answer Him?
15 Did (W)He who made me in the womb not make him,
And the same one create us in the womb?
16 “If I have kept (X)the poor from their desire,
Or have caused the eyes of (Y)the widow to fail,
17 Or have (Z)eaten my morsel alone,
And (AA)the orphan has not [g]shared it
18 (But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,
And from [h]my infancy I guided her),
19 If I have seen anyone perish (AB)for lack of clothing,
Or that (AC)the needy had no covering,
20 If his waist has not [i]thanked me,
And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21 If I have lifted up my hand against (AD)the orphan,
Because I saw [j]I had support (AE)in the gate,
22 May my shoulder fall from its [k]socket,
And my (AF)arm be broken off [l]at the elbow.
23 For (AG)disaster from God is a terror to me,
And because of (AH)His majesty I can do nothing.
24 “If I have put my confidence in (AI)gold,
And called fine gold my trust,
25 If I have (AJ)gloated because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had obtained so much;
26 If I have (AK)looked at the [m]sun when it shone,
Or the moon going in splendor,
27 And my heart was secretly enticed,
And my hand [n]threw a kiss from my mouth,
28 That too would have been (AL)a guilty deed calling for [o]judgment,
For I would have (AM)denied God above.
29 “Have I (AN)rejoiced at the misfortune of my enemy,
Or become excited when evil found him?
30 [p]No, (AO)I have not [q]allowed my mouth to sin
By asking for his life in (AP)a curse.
31 Have the people of my tent not said,
‘Who can [r]find one who has not been (AQ)satisfied with his meat’?
32 The stranger has not spent the night outside,
For I have opened my doors to the [s]traveler.
33 Have I (AR)covered my wrongdoings like a man,
By hiding my guilt in my shirt pocket,
34 Because I (AS)feared the great multitude
And the contempt of families terrified me,
And I kept silent and did not go out of doors?
35 Oh that I had one to hear me!
Here is my [t]signature;
(AT)Let the Almighty answer me!
And the indictment which my (AU)adversary has written,
36 I would certainly carry it on my shoulder,
I would tie it to myself like a garland.
37 I would declare to Him (AV)the number of my steps;
Like (AW)a prince, I would approach Him.
38 “If my (AX)land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together;
39 If I have (AY)eaten its [u]fruit without money,
Or have (AZ)caused [v]its owners to lose their lives,
40 May the (BA)thorn-bush [w]grow instead of wheat,
And stinkweed instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
Footnotes
- Job 31:6 Lit just
- Job 31:7 Lit walked after
- Job 31:8 Or offspring
- Job 31:10 I.e., have sexual relations with her
- Job 31:12 I.e., the place of destruction
- Job 31:12 Or yield
- Job 31:17 Lit eaten from it
- Job 31:18 Lit my mother’s womb
- Job 31:20 Lit blessed; i.e., for clothing
- Job 31:21 Lit my help
- Job 31:22 Lit neck-joint
- Job 31:22 Lit from the bone of the upper arm
- Job 31:26 Lit light
- Job 31:27 Lit kissed my mouth
- Job 31:28 Lit judges
- Job 31:30 Lit And
- Job 31:30 Lit given my palate
- Job 31:31 Lit give
- Job 31:32 MT way
- Job 31:35 Lit mark
- Job 31:39 Lit strength
- Job 31:39 Lit the soul of its owners to expire
- Job 31:40 Lit come forth
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
