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Job 31
The Message
Job 31
The Message
What Can I Expect from God?
31 1-4 “I made a solemn pact with myself
never to undress a girl with my eyes.
So what can I expect from God?
What do I deserve from God Almighty above?
Isn’t calamity reserved for the wicked?
Isn’t disaster supposed to strike those who do wrong?
Isn’t God looking, observing how I live?
Doesn’t he mark every step I take?
5-8 “Have I walked hand in hand with falsehood,
or hung out in the company of deceit?
Weigh me on a set of honest scales
so God has proof of my integrity.
If I’ve strayed off the straight and narrow,
wanted things I had no right to,
messed around with sin,
Go ahead, then—
give my portion to someone who deserves it.
9-12 “If I’ve let myself be seduced by a woman
and conspired to go to bed with her,
Fine, my wife has every right to go ahead
and sleep with anyone she wants to.
For disgusting behavior like that,
I’d deserve the worst punishment you could hand out.
Adultery is a fire that burns the house down;
I wouldn’t expect anything I count dear to survive it.
13-15 “Have I ever been unfair to my employees
when they brought a complaint to me?
What, then, will I do when God confronts me?
When God examines my books, what can I say?
Didn’t the same God who made me, make them?
Aren’t we all made of the same stuff, equals before God?
16-18 “Have I ignored the needs of the poor,
turned my back on the indigent,
Taken care of my own needs and fed my own face
while they languished?
Wasn’t my home always open to them?
Weren’t they always welcome at my table?
19-20 “Have I ever left a poor family shivering in the cold
when they had no warm clothes?
Didn’t the poor bless me when they saw me coming,
knowing I’d brought coats from my closet?
21-23 “If I’ve ever used my strength and influence
to take advantage of the unfortunate,
Go ahead, break both my arms,
cut off all my fingers!
The fear of God has kept me from these things—
how else could I ever face him?
If Only Someone Would Give Me a Hearing!
24-28 “Did I set my heart on making big money
or worship at the bank?
Did I boast about my wealth,
show off because I was well-off?
Was I ever so awed by the sun’s brilliance
and moved by the moon’s beauty
That I let myself become seduced by them
and worshiped them on the sly?
If so, I would deserve the worst of punishments,
for I would be betraying God himself.
29-30 “Did I ever gloat over my enemy’s ruin?
Or get excited over my rival’s bad luck?
No, I never said a word of detraction,
never cursed them, even under my breath.
31-34 “Didn’t those who worked for me say,
‘He fed us well. There were always second helpings’?
And no stranger ever had to spend a night in the street;
my doors were always open to travelers.
Did I hide my sin the way Adam did,
or conceal my guilt behind closed doors
Because I was afraid what people would say,
fearing the gossip of the neighbors so much
That I turned myself into a recluse?
You know good and well that I didn’t.
35-37 “Oh, if only someone would give me a hearing!
I’ve signed my name to my defense—let the Almighty One answer!
I want to see my indictment in writing.
Anyone’s welcome to read my defense;
I’ll write it on a poster and carry it around town.
I’m prepared to account for every move I’ve ever made—
to anyone and everyone, prince or pauper.
38-40 “If the very ground that I farm accuses me,
if even the furrows fill with tears from my abuse,
If I’ve ever raped the earth for my own profit
or dispossessed its rightful owners,
Then curse it with thistles instead of wheat,
curse it with weeds instead of barley.”
The words of Job to his three friends were finished.
Job 31
New International Version
Job 31
New International Version
31 “I made a covenant with my eyes(A)
not to look lustfully at a young woman.(B)
2 For what is our lot(C) from God above,
our heritage from the Almighty on high?(D)
3 Is it not ruin(E) for the wicked,
disaster(F) for those who do wrong?(G)
4 Does he not see my ways(H)
and count my every step?(I)
5 “If I have walked with falsehood
or my foot has hurried after deceit(J)—
6 let God weigh me(K) in honest scales(L)
and he will know that I am blameless(M)—
7 if my steps have turned from the path,(N)
if my heart has been led by my eyes,
or if my hands(O) have been defiled,(P)
8 then may others eat what I have sown,(Q)
and may my crops be uprooted.(R)
9 “If my heart has been enticed(S) by a woman,(T)
or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,
10 then may my wife grind(U) another man’s grain,
and may other men sleep with her.(V)
11 For that would have been wicked,(W)
a sin to be judged.(X)
12 It is a fire(Y) that burns to Destruction[a];(Z)
it would have uprooted my harvest.(AA)
13 “If I have denied justice to any of my servants,(AB)
whether male or female,
when they had a grievance against me,(AC)
14 what will I do when God confronts me?(AD)
What will I answer when called to account?(AE)
15 Did not he who made me in the womb make them?(AF)
Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?(AG)
16 “If I have denied the desires of the poor(AH)
or let the eyes of the widow(AI) grow weary,(AJ)
17 if I have kept my bread to myself,
not sharing it with the fatherless(AK)—
18 but from my youth I reared them as a father would,
and from my birth I guided the widow(AL)—
19 if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing,(AM)
or the needy(AN) without garments,
20 and their hearts did not bless me(AO)
for warming them with the fleece(AP) from my sheep,
21 if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,(AQ)
knowing that I had influence in court,(AR)
22 then let my arm fall from the shoulder,
let it be broken off at the joint.(AS)
23 For I dreaded destruction from God,(AT)
and for fear of his splendor(AU) I could not do such things.(AV)
24 “If I have put my trust in gold(AW)
or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’(AX)
25 if I have rejoiced over my great wealth,(AY)
the fortune my hands had gained,(AZ)
26 if I have regarded the sun(BA) in its radiance
or the moon(BB) moving in splendor,
27 so that my heart was secretly enticed(BC)
and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,(BD)
28 then these also would be sins to be judged,(BE)
for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.(BF)
29 “If I have rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortune(BG)
or gloated over the trouble that came to him(BH)—
30 I have not allowed my mouth to sin
by invoking a curse against their life(BI)—
31 if those of my household have never said,
‘Who has not been filled with Job’s meat?’(BJ)—
32 but no stranger had to spend the night in the street,
for my door was always open to the traveler(BK)—
33 if I have concealed(BL) my sin as people do,[b]
by hiding(BM) my guilt in my heart
34 because I so feared the crowd(BN)
and so dreaded the contempt of the clans
that I kept silent(BO) and would not go outside—
35 (“Oh, that I had someone to hear me!(BP)
I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me;
let my accuser(BQ) put his indictment in writing.
36 Surely I would wear it on my shoulder,(BR)
I would put it on like a crown.(BS)
37 I would give him an account of my every step;(BT)
I would present it to him as to a ruler.(BU))—
38 “if my land cries out against me(BV)
and all its furrows are wet(BW) with tears,
39 if I have devoured its yield without payment(BX)
or broken the spirit of its tenants,(BY)
40 then let briers(BZ) come up instead of wheat
and stinkweed(CA) instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.(CB)
约伯记 31
Revised Chinese Union Version (Simplified Script) Shen Edition
约伯记 31
Revised Chinese Union Version (Simplified Script) Shen Edition
31 “我与眼睛立约，
怎能凝望少女呢？
2 从至上的 神所得之分，
从至高全能者所得之业是什么呢？
3 岂不是祸患临到不义的，
灾害临到作恶的吗？
4 神岂不察看我的道路，
数点我所有的脚步吗？
5 “我若与虚谎同行，
我脚若紧跟诡诈，
6 愿 神用公道的天平秤我，
愿他知道我的纯正。
7 我的脚步若偏离正路，
我的心若随从我眼目，
我的手掌若粘有污秽；
8 愿我栽种，别人来吃，
我的农作物连根拔出。
9 “我心若因妇人受迷惑，
在邻舍的门外等候，
10 就愿我妻子给别人推磨，
别人与她同寝。
11 因为这是邪恶的事，
审判官裁定的罪孽。
12 这是一场火，直烧到毁灭[a]，
必拔除我一切的家产。
13 “我的仆婢与我争辩，
我若藐视不听他们的冤情，
14 神兴起的时候，我怎样行呢？
他察问的时候，我怎样回答他呢？
15 造我在母腹中的，不也是造了他吗？
在母胎中使我们成形的，岂不是同一位吗？
16 “我若不让贫寒人遂其所愿，
或是叫寡妇眼中失望，
17 或独自吃自己的食物，
孤儿没有吃其中些许；
18 从我年轻时，孤儿就与我一同长大，我好像他的父亲，
我从出母腹就扶助寡妇[b]；
19 我若见人因无衣死亡，
或见贫穷人毫无遮盖；
20 我若不使他真心为我祝福，
不使他因我羊的毛得暖；
21 我若举手攻击孤儿，
因为在城门口见有帮助我的；
22 情愿我的肩膀从肩胛骨脱落，
我的膀臂从肱骨折断。
23 因 神降的灾祸使我恐惧[c]，
因他的威严，我什么都不能。
24 “我若以黄金为我的指望，
对纯金说：你是我的倚靠；
25 我若因财物丰裕，
因手多得资财而欢喜；
26 我若见太阳发光，
明月运行，
27 心就暗暗被引诱，
口亲吻自己的手；
28 这也是审判官裁定的罪孽，
因为我背弃了至上的 神。
29 “我若见恨我的遇难就欢喜，
见他遭灾就高兴；
30 其实我没有容许口犯罪，
以诅咒要他的性命；
31 若我帐棚中的人未曾说：
‘谁不以他的肉食吃饱呢？’
32 我未曾让旅客在街上过夜，
却开门迎接行路的人；
33 我若像亚当[d]遮掩自己的过犯，
将罪孽藏在怀中；
34 我若因大大惧怕众人，
又因宗族的藐视而恐惧，
以致我缄默不言，闭门不出；
35 惟愿有一位肯听我！
看哪，我的记号，愿全能者回答我！
愿那与我争讼的写下状词！
36 我必把它带在肩上，
绑在头上为冠冕。
37 我必向 神述说我脚步的数目，
如同王子进到他面前。
38 “若我的田地喊冤告我，
犁沟也一同哭泣；
39 我若吃地的出产不给银钱，
或叫地的原主丧命；
40 愿蒺藜生长代替麦子，
恶臭的草代替大麦。”
约伯的话说完了。
Job 31
New King James Version
Job 31
New King James Version
Job Defends His Righteousness
31 “I have made a covenant with my eyes;
Why then should I [a]look upon a (A)young woman?
2 For what is the (B)allotment of God from above,
And the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3 Is it not destruction for the wicked,
And disaster for the workers of iniquity?
4 (C)Does He not see my ways,
And count all my steps?
5 “If I have walked with falsehood,
Or if my foot has hastened to deceit,
6 [b]Let me be weighed on honest scales,
That God may know my (D)integrity.
7 If my step has turned from the way,
Or (E)my heart walked after my eyes,
Or if any spot adheres to my hands,
8 Then (F)let me sow, and another eat;
Yes, let my harvest be [c]rooted out.
9 “If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
Or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,
10 Then let my wife grind for (G)another,
And let others bow down over her.
11 For that would be wickedness;
Yes, (H)it would be iniquity deserving of judgment.
12 For that would be a fire that consumes to destruction,
And would root out all my increase.
13 “If I have (I)despised the cause of my male or female servant
When they complained against me,
14 What then shall I do when (J)God rises up?
When He punishes, how shall I answer Him?
15 (K)Did not He who made me in the womb make them?
Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?
16 “If I have kept the poor from their desire,
Or caused the eyes of the widow to (L)fail,
17 Or eaten my morsel by myself,
So that the fatherless could not eat of it
18 (But from my youth I reared him as a father,
And from my mother’s womb I guided [d]the widow);
19 If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
Or any poor man without covering;
20 If his [e]heart has not (M)blessed me,
And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21 If I have raised my hand (N)against the fatherless,
When I saw I had help in the gate;
22 Then let my arm fall from my shoulder,
Let my arm be torn from the socket.
23 For (O)destruction from God is a terror to me,
And because of His magnificence I cannot endure.
24 “If(P) I have made gold my hope,
Or said to fine gold, ‘You are my confidence’;
25 (Q)If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had gained much;
26 (R)If I have observed the [f]sun when it shines,
Or the moon moving in brightness,
27 So that my heart has been secretly enticed,
And my mouth has kissed my hand;
28 This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment,
For I would have denied God who is above.
29 “If(S) I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me,
Or lifted myself up when evil found him
30 (T)(Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin
By asking for a curse on his [g]soul);
31 If the men of my tent have not said,
‘Who is there that has not been satisfied with his meat?’
32 (U)(But no sojourner had to lodge in the street,
For I have opened my doors to the [h]traveler);
33 If I have covered my transgressions (V)as[i] Adam,
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
34 Because I feared the great (W)multitude,
And dreaded the contempt of families,
So that I kept silence
And did not go out of the door—
35 (X)Oh, that I had one to hear me!
Here is my mark.
Oh, (Y)that the Almighty would answer me,
That my [j]Prosecutor had written a book!
36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder,
And bind it on me like a crown;
37 I would declare to Him the number of my steps;
Like a prince I would approach Him.
38 “If my land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together;
39 If (Z)I have eaten its [k]fruit without money,
Or (AA)caused its owners to lose their lives;
40 Then let (AB)thistles grow instead of wheat,
And weeds instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Revised Chinese Union Version (Simplified Script) Shen Edition (RCU17SS)
和合本修訂版經文 © 2006, 2010, 2017 香港聖經公會。蒙允許使用。 Scripture Text of Revised Chinese Union Version © 2006, 2010, 2017 Hong Kong Bible Society. www.hkbs.org.hk/en/ Used by permission.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.