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
Job 31
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
31 I made a covenant with my eyes, that I would not so much as think upon a virgin.
2 For what part should God from above have in me, and what inheritance the Almighty from on high?
3 Is not destruction to the wicked, and aversion to them that work iniquity?
4 Doth not he consider my ways, and number all my steps?
5 If I have walked in vanity, and my foot hath made haste to deceit:
6 Let him weigh me in a just balance, and let God know my simplicity.
7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and if my heart hath followed my eyes, and if a spot hath cleaved to my hands:
8 Then let me sow and let another eat: and let my offspring be rooted out.
9 If my heart hath been deceived upon a woman, and if I have laid wait at my friend's door:
10 Let my wife be the harlot of another, and let other men lie with her.
11 For this is a heinous crime, and a most grievous iniquity.
12 It is a fire that devoureth even to destruction, and rooteth up all things that spring.
13 If I have despised to abide judgment with my manservant, or my maidservant, when they had any controversy against me:
14 For what shall I do when God shall rise to judge? and when he shall examine, what shall I answer him?
15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him also: and did not one and the same form me in the womb?
16 If I have denied to the poor what they desired, and have made the eyes of the widow wait:
17 If I have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof:
18 (For from my infancy mercy grew up with me: and it came out with me from my mother's womb:)
19 If I have despised him that was perishing for want of clothing, and the poor man that had no covering:
20 If his sides have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep:
21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, even when I saw myself superior in the gate:
22 Let my shoulder fall from its joint, and let my arm with its bones be broken.
23 For I have always feared God as waves swelling over me, and his weight I was not able to bear.
24 If I have thought gold my strength, and have said to fine gold: My confidence:
25 If I have rejoiced over my great riches, and because my hand had gotten much.
26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, and the moon going in brightness:
27 And my heart in secret hath rejoiced, and I have kissed my hand with my mouth:
28 Which is a very great iniquity, and a denial against the most high God.
29 If I have been glad at the downfall of him that hated me, and have rejoiced that evil had found him.
30 For I have not given my mouth to sin, by wishing a curse to his soul.
31 If the men of my tabernacle have not said: Who will give us of his flesh that we may be filled?
32 The stranger did not stay without, my door was open to the traveller.
33 If as a man I have hid my sin, and have concealed my iniquity in my bosom.
34 If I have been afraid at a very great multitude, and the contempt of kinsmen hath terrified me: and I have not rather held my peace, and not gone out of the door.
35 Who would grant me a hearer, that the Almighty may hear my desire; and that he himself that judgeth would write a book,
36 That I may carry it on my shoulder, and put it about me as a crown?
37 At every step of mine I would pronounce it, and offer it as to a prince.
38 If my land cry against me, and with it the furrows thereof mourn:
39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have afflicted the soul of the tillers thereof:
40 Let thistles grow up to me instead of wheat, and thorns instead of barley.
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