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
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
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.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
