Job 31
Amplified Bible
Job Asserts His Integrity
31 “I have made a covenant (agreement) with my eyes;
How then could I gaze [lustfully] at a virgin?
2
“For what is the portion I would have from God above,
And what heritage from the Almighty on high?
3
“Does not tragedy fall [justly] on the unjust
And disaster to those who work wickedness?
4
“Does not God see my ways
And count all my steps?
5
“If I have walked with falsehood,
Or if my foot has chased after deceit,
6
Oh, let Him weigh me with accurate scales,
And let God know my integrity.
7
“If my step has turned away from the way [of God],
Or if my heart has [covetously] followed my eyes,
Or if any spot [of guilt] has stained my hands,
8
Then let me plant and [let] another eat [from the results of my labor],
And let my crops be uprooted and ruined.
9
“If my heart has been enticed and I was made a fool by a woman,
Or if I have [covetously] lurked at my neighbor’s door [until his departure],
10
Let my wife grind [meal, like a bond slave] for another [man],
And let others [a]kneel down over her.
11
“For adultery is a heinous and lustful crime;
Moreover, it would be a sin punishable by the judges.(A)
12
“For it is a fire which consumes to Abaddon (destruction, ruin, final torment);
And [illicit passion] would burn and rage and uproot all my [life’s] increase [destroying everything].
13
“If I have despised and rejected the claim of my male or female servants
When they filed a complaint against me,
14
What then could I do when God arises [to judge me]?
When He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?(B)
15
“Did not He who made me in the womb make my servant,
And did not the same One fashion us both in the womb?(C)
16
“If I have withheld from the poor what they desired,
Or have caused the eyes of the widow to look in vain [for relief],
17
Or have eaten my morsel [of food] alone,
And did not share it with the orphan
18
(But from my youth the orphan grew up with me as with a father,
And from my mother’s womb I have been the widow’s guide),
19
If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
Or any poor person without covering,
20
If his loins have not thanked and blessed me [for clothing them],
And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21
If I have lifted my hand against the orphan,
Because I saw [that the judges would be] my help at the [council] gate,
22
Then let my shoulder fall away from its socket,
And my arm be broken off at the elbow.
23
“For tragedy from God is a terror to me,
And because of His majesty and exaltation I can do nothing [nor endure facing Him].(D)
24
“If I have put my trust and confidence in gold,
Or have declared fine gold my hope and assurance,
25
If I gloated and rejoiced because my wealth was great,
And because my [powerful] hand [alone] had obtained so much,
26
If I beheld the sun [as an object of worship] when it shone
Or the moon going in its splendor,
27
And my heart became secretly enticed [by them],
And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth [in respect to them],
28
This also would have been [a heinous] sin calling for judgment,
For I would have denied God above.(E)
29
“Have I rejoiced at the destruction of the enemy [who hated me],
Or exulted [in malicious triumph] when evil overtook him?
30
“No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin
By cursing my enemy and asking for his life.
31
“I assure you, the men of my tent have said,
‘Who can find one [in need] who has not been satisfied with his meat’?
32
“The stranger has not lodged in the street,
Because I have opened my door to the traveler.
33
“Have I concealed my transgressions like Adam or like other men,
By hiding my wickedness in my bosom,
34
Because I feared the great multitude,
And the contempt of families terrified me,
So that I kept silence and did not acknowledge my sin and did not go out of the door?
35
“Oh, that I had one to listen to me!
Look, here is my signature (mark);
Let the Almighty answer me!
Let my adversary write out His indictment [and put His vague accusations in tangible form].
36
“Surely I would [proudly] bear it on my shoulder,
And bind the scroll around my head like a crown.
37
“I would count out to Him the number of my steps [with every detail of my life],
Approaching His presence as if I were a prince.
38
“For if my land has cried out against me,
And its furrows weep together;
39
If I have eaten its fruits without paying for them,
Or have caused its [rightful] owners to lose their lives,
40
Let thorns grow instead of wheat,
And stinkweed and cockleburs instead of barley.”
So the words of Job [with his friends] are finished.
Footnotes
- Job 31:10 I.e. participate in sexual intimacy.
Job 31
English Standard Version
Job's Final Appeal
31 “I have made a covenant with my (A)eyes;
how then could I gaze at a virgin?
2 What would be (B)my portion from God above
and (C)my heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 Is not calamity for the unrighteous,
and disaster for the workers of iniquity?
4 (D)Does not he see my ways
and (E)number all my steps?
5 “If I have walked with falsehood
and my foot has hastened to deceit;
6 (Let me be (F)weighed in a just balance,
and let God know my integrity!)
7 if my step has turned aside from the way
and (G)my heart has gone after my eyes,
and if any (H)spot has stuck to my hands,
8 then let me (I)sow, and another eat,
and let what grows for me[a] be rooted out.
9 “If my heart has been enticed toward a woman,
and I have (J)lain in wait at my neighbor's door,
10 then let my wife (K)grind for another,
and let others (L)bow down on her.
11 For that would be a heinous crime;
that would be an iniquity (M)to be punished by the judges;
12 for that would be a fire (N)that consumes as far as Abaddon,
and it would burn to the root all my increase.
13 “If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant,
when they brought a complaint against me,
14 what then shall I do when God rises up?
When he (O)makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?
15 Did (P)not he who made me in the womb make him?
And did not one fashion us in the womb?
16 “If I have (Q)withheld anything that the poor desired,
or have (R)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[b] grew up with me as with a father,
and from my mother's womb I guided the widow[c]),
19 if I have seen anyone (S)perish for (T)lack of clothing,
or the needy without (U)covering,
20 if his body has not (V)blessed me,[d]
and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21 if I have raised my hand against (W)the fatherless,
because I saw my help in (X)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 (Y)in terror of calamity from God,
and I could not have faced his (Z)majesty.
24 (AA)“If I have made gold my (AB)trust
or called (AC)fine gold my confidence,
25 if I have (AD)rejoiced because my wealth was abundant
or because (AE)my hand had found much,
26 (AF)if I have looked at the sun[e] when it shone,
or (AG)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 (AH)an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
for I would have been false to God above.
29 “If I have (AI)rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me,
or exulted when evil overtook him
30 ((AJ)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 (AK)meat?’
32 ((AL)the sojourner has not lodged in the street;
I have opened my doors to the traveler),
33 if I (AM)have concealed my transgressions (AN)as others do[f]
by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
34 because I stood in great fear of (AO)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 (AP)answer me!)
Oh, that I had (AQ)the indictment written by my adversary!
36 Surely I would carry it on my (AR)shoulder;
I would (AS)bind it on me as (AT)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 (AU)if I have eaten its yield without payment
and made its owners (AV)breathe their last,
40 let (AW)thorns grow instead of wheat,
and foul weeds instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
Job 31
Legacy Standard Bible
31 “I have cut a covenant with my (A)eyes;
How then could I gaze 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 unjust
And misfortune to (D)those who work iniquity?
4 Does He not (E)see my ways
And (F)number all my steps?
5 “If I have (G)walked with worthlessness,
And my foot has hastened after deceit,
6 Let Him (H)weigh me with [a]just 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 lain in wait at my neighbor’s doorway,
10 May my wife (O)grind for another,
And let (P)others [d]kneel down over her.
11 For that would be (Q)lewdness;
Moreover, it would be (R)an iniquity punishable by judges.
12 For it would be (S)fire that consumes to [e](T)Abaddon,
And would (U)uproot all my [f]produce.
13 “If I have (V)rejected the justice of my male or female [g]slaves
When they filed a complaint against me,
14 What then could I do when God arises?
And when He calls me to account, with what will I respond to Him?
15 Did not (W)He who made me in the womb make him,
And the same one fashion us in the womb?
16 “If I have held back (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 eaten from it
18 (But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,
And from the womb of my mother 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 loins have not blessed me,
And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21 If I have waved my hand against (AD)the orphan
Because I saw my help (AE)in the gate,
22 Let my shoulder fall from the [h]socket,
And my (AF)arm be broken off [i]at the elbow.
23 For (AG)disaster from God is a dread to me,
And because of (AH)His exaltedness 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)been glad because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had found so much,
26 If I have (AK)looked at the [j]sun when it shone
Or the moon going in splendor,
27 And my heart became secretly enticed,
And my hand [k]threw a kiss from my mouth,
28 That too would have been (AL)an iniquity calling for [l]judgment,
For I would have (AM)denied God above.
29 “If I (AN)have been glad at the upheaval of the one who hated me,
Or [m]exulted when evil found him—
30 But (AO)I have not given over my [n]mouth to sin
By asking for his life in (AP)a curse—
31 If the men of my tent have not said,
‘Who can [o]find one who has not been (AQ)satisfied with his meat’—
32 The sojourner has not lodged outside,
For I have opened my doors to the [p]traveler—
33 If I have (AR)covered my transgressions like [q]Adam,
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
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!
Behold, here is my [r]signature;
(AT)Let the Almighty answer me!
And the indictment which my (AU)accuser has written,
36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;
I would bind it to myself like a crown.
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 [s]fruit without money,
Or have (AZ)caused [t]its owners to lose their lives,
40 Let (BA)briars come out instead of wheat,
And stinkweed instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
Footnotes
- Job 31:6 Lit righteous; Job 8:3, 6; 29:14
- Job 31:7 Lit walked after
- Job 31:8 Or offspring
- Job 31:10 Sexual relations
- Job 31:12 Lit the realm of destruction
- Job 31:12 Or yield
- Job 31:13 Or servants, cf. Job 1:3
- Job 31:22 Or back; lit shoulder
- 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 31:29 Lit lifted myself up
- Job 31:30 Lit palate
- Job 31:31 Lit give
- Job 31:32 M.T. way
- Job 31:33 Or mankind
- Job 31:35 Lit mark
- Job 31:39 Lit strength
- Job 31:39 Lit the soul of its owners to expire
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