Job 31:15-32:13

English Standard Version

¹⁶ “If I have ^(B)withheld anything that the poor desired,
    or have ^(C)caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
¹⁷ or have eaten my morsel alone,
    and the fatherless has not eaten of it
¹⁸ (for from my youth the fatherless^[a] grew up with me as with a father,
    and from my mother's womb I guided the widow^[b]),
¹⁹ if I have seen anyone ^(D)perish for ^(E)lack of clothing,
    or the needy without ^(F)covering,
²⁰ if his body has not ^(G)blessed me,^[c]
    and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
²¹ if I have raised my hand against ^(H)the fatherless,
    because I saw my help in ^(I)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 ^(J)in terror of calamity from God,
    and I could not have faced his ^(K)majesty.

^24 (L)“If I have made gold my ^(M)trust
    or called ^(N)fine gold my confidence,
²⁵ if I have ^(O)rejoiced because my wealth was abundant
    or because ^(P)my hand had found much,
^26 (Q)if I have looked at the sun^[d] when it shone,
    or ^(R)the moon moving in splendor,
²⁷ and my heart has been secretly enticed,
    and my mouth has kissed my hand,
²⁸ this also would be ^(S)an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
    for I would have been false to God above.

²⁹ “If I have ^(T)rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me,
    or exulted when evil overtook him
³⁰ (^(U)I have not let my mouth sin
    by asking for his life with a curse),
³¹ if the men of my tent have not said,
    ‘Who is there that has not been filled with his ^(V)meat?’
³² (^(W)the sojourner has not lodged in the street;
    I have opened my doors to the traveler),
³³ if I ^(X)have concealed my transgressions ^(Y)as others do^[e]
    by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
³⁴ because I stood in great fear of ^(Z)the multitude,
    and the contempt of families terrified me,
    so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors—
³⁵ Oh, that I had one to hear me!
    (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty ^(AA)answer me!)
    Oh, that I had ^(AB)the indictment written by my adversary!
³⁶ Surely I would carry it on my ^(AC)shoulder;
    I would ^(AD)bind it on me as ^(AE)a crown;
³⁷ I would give him an account of all my steps;
    like a prince I would approach him.

³⁸ “If my land has cried out against me
    and its furrows have wept together,
^39 (AF)if I have eaten its yield without payment
    and made its owners ^(AG)breathe their last,
⁴⁰ let ^(AH)thorns grow instead of wheat,
    and foul weeds instead of barley.”

“I am young in years,
    and you are ^(AM)aged;
therefore I was timid and afraid
    to declare my opinion to you.
⁷ I said, ‘Let days speak,
    and many years teach wisdom.’
⁸ But it is ^(AN)the spirit in man,
    ^(AO)the breath of the Almighty, that makes him ^(AP)understand.
^9 (AQ)It is not the old^[f] who are wise,
    nor the aged who understand what is right.
¹⁰ Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;
    let me also declare my opinion.’

¹¹ “Behold, I waited for your words,
    I listened for your wise sayings,
    while you searched out what to say.
¹² I gave you my attention,
    and, behold, there was none among you who refuted Job
    or who answered his words.
¹³ Beware ^(AR)lest you say, ‘We have found wisdom;
    God may vanquish him, not a man.’