Job 31
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
31 “I have made a covenant with my eyes;
how, then, could I look upon a virgin?(A)
2 What would be my portion from God above
and my heritage from the Almighty[a] on high?
3 Does not calamity befall the unrighteous
and disaster the workers of iniquity?
4 Does he not see my ways
and number all my steps?(B)
5 “If I have walked with falsehood,
and my foot has hurried to deceit—(C)
6 let me be weighed in a just balance,
and let God know my integrity!—(D)
7 if my step has turned aside from the way,
and my heart has followed my eyes,
and if any spot has clung to my hands,(E)
8 then let me sow and another eat,
and let what grows for me be rooted out.(F)
9 “If my heart has been enticed by a woman
and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door,(G)
10 then let my wife grind for another,
and let other men kneel over her.(H)
11 For that would be a heinous crime;
that would be a criminal offense;(I)
12 for that would be a fire consuming down to Abaddon,
and it would burn to the root all my harvest.(J)
13 “If I have rejected the cause of my male or female slaves,
when they brought a complaint against me,(K)
14 what then shall I do when God rises up?
When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?
15 Did not he who made me in the womb make them?
And did not one fashion us in the womb?(L)
16 “If I have withheld anything that the poor desired
or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail(M)
17 or have eaten my morsel alone
and the orphan has not eaten from it—(N)
18 for from my youth I reared the orphan[b] like a father,
and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow[c]—
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;(O)
21 if I have raised my hand against the orphan
because I saw I had supporters at the gate;(P)
22 then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,
and let my arm be broken from its socket.(Q)
23 For I was in terror of calamity from God,
and I could not have faced his majesty.(R)
24 “If I have made gold my trust
or called fine gold my confidence,(S)
25 if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great
or because my hand had gotten much,(T)
26 if I have looked at the sun[d] when it shone
or the moon moving in splendor,(U)
27 and my heart has been secretly enticed,
and my mouth has kissed my hand,
28 this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
for I should have been false to God above.(V)
29 “If I have rejoiced at the ruin of those who hated me
or exulted when evil overtook them—(W)
30 I have not let my mouth sin
by asking for their lives with a curse—(X)
31 if those of my tent ever said,
‘O that we might be sated with his flesh!’[e]—(Y)
32 the stranger has not lodged in the street;
I have opened my doors to the traveler—(Z)
33 if I have concealed my transgressions as others do,[f]
by hiding my iniquity in my bosom,(AA)
34 because I stood in great fear of the multitude,
and the contempt of families terrified me,
so that I kept silence and did not go out of doors—(AB)
35 O that I had one to hear me!
(Here is my signature! Let the Almighty[g] answer me!)
O that I had the indictment written by my adversary!(AC)
36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;
I would bind it on me like a crown;
37 I would give him an account of all my steps;
like a prince I would approach him.(AD)
38 “If my land has cried out against me
and its furrows have wept together,(AE)
39 if I have eaten its yield without payment
and caused the death of its owners,(AF)
40 let thorns grow instead of wheat
and foul weeds instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.(AG)
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.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.