Job 31
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 31
Let God Weigh Me on Honest Scales[a]
1 “I have made a covenant with my eyes
not to look with desire upon a virgin.
2 For what is man’s lot prescribed by God above,
his inheritance from the Almighty on high?
3 Is it not destruction for the wicked
and disaster for wrongdoers?
4 Does not God see my ways
and number all my steps?
5 “If I have walked in falsehood
or hastened my steps toward deceit,
6 let God weigh me on honest scales;
then he will know that I am blameless.
If My Steps Have Wandered . . .[b]
7 “If my steps have wandered from the path of righteousness,
or if my eyes have led my heart astray,
or if any stain has besmirched my hands,
8 then let someone else eat what I sow,
and let my crops be uprooted.
9 “If my heart has been enticed by a woman
and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door,
10 then let my wife grind grain[c] for another
and let other men enjoy her.
11 For that would be a heinous crime
and judged as a criminal offense.
12 It would be a fire that leads to Destruction[d]
until it consumes all my possessions completely.
13 “If I have ever rejected the pleas of my male or female slaves
when they lodged a complaint against me,
14 what will I do when God confronts me?
What will I answer if he calls me to account?
15 Did not he who formed me in the womb also make them?
Did not the one God create all human beings?[e]
16 “Have I ignored the needs of the poor
or caused the eyes of widows to overflow with tears?
17 Did I ever eat my bread alone
without sharing it with an orphan,
18 I whom God has reared like a father
and guided ever since I left my mother’s womb?
19 “Have I ever seen a stranger in need of clothing,
or a poor wretch with nothing to cover him,
20 whose body has not blessed me
after being warmed with the fleece of my sheep?
21 Have I ever raised my hand against the innocent,
knowing that my friends would support me?
22 “If I have done any of these things,
then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder
and let my arm be torn from its socket.
23 For then the fear of God would overcome me
and I would be unable to stand in his presence.
24 “Have I placed my faith in gold
and regarded it as my security?
25 Have I rejoiced in my great wealth
and the abundance of riches in my possession?
26 [f]Have I beheld the sun when it shone
and the moon moving in its splendor
27 and ever found my heart to be secretly enticed
so that I blew them a kiss in homage?
28 Any of these would be a serious offense,
for I would have been unfaithful to God above.
29 [g]“Have I ever rejoiced at the ruin of my enemy
or exulted when evil overtook him—
30 I who would not allow my tongue to sin
by laying his life under a curse?
31 Have not those of my household said,
‘Who has not eaten his meat and been sated?’
32 No stranger has ever had to spend the night in the street;
my door has always been open to the traveler.
33 “Have I ever concealed my transgressions as others do,
keeping my guilt buried within my breast,
34 because I feared the gossip that would ensue,
and I was terrified at the scorn of the multitude?
If so, then I would have remained silent
and not ventured out of doors.
May God Respond[h]
35 [i]“Oh, if only I had someone to hear my defense
and my accuser would write out his indictment!
36 I would wear it on my shoulder
and place it on my head as a crown.
37 I would give him an account of my entire life,
and like a prince I would present myself before him.
Concluding Oath[j]
38 “If my land has cried out against me
and its furrows have joined in the weeping,
39 if I have eaten its produce without payment
and caused the death of its owners,
40 then let thistles grow instead of wheat
and noxious weeds instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
Footnotes
- Job 31:1 If God recompenses everyone according to one’s deserts, he must render justice to Job.
- Job 31:7 Using the traditional formula for cursing (Num 5:20-22), Job examines his life in all the fundamental areas of religion and the law. In his actions, intentions, and most secret feelings, he is without fault.
- Job 31:10 Grind grain: slaves were used for grinding grain.
- Job 31:12 Destruction: literally, “Abaddon”; see note on Job 26:6.
- Job 31:15 Some scholars believe that verses 38-40 of this chapter should be placed after this verse instead of in their accustomed spot.
- Job 31:26 Job knows that to worship the sun or the moon is a sin (see Deut 4:19; 17:3; Ezek 8:16f), and he was careful not to do so. Blew them a kiss: a sign of respect that implied recognition of a divinity (the Latin word adorare [“adore”] came from ad os meaning “put the hand to the mouth”). Therefore, to blow a kiss to the stars meant to practice idolatry.
- Job 31:29 Job has never succumbed to gloating over enemies, which had been condemned by Moses (Ex 23:4f) and would later also be ruled out by Christ (Mt 5:43-47).
- Job 31:35 Job is ready to appear before God and certain to be able to refute every accusation in his presence.
- Job 31:35 The written indictment took the form of a lengthy papyrus scroll that Job would like to wear like a turban.
- Job 31:38 Job now offers a concluding oath to complete an earlier theme. He calls for a curse on his land if he has neglected social justice (see vv. 13-15). Some scholars place verses 38-40 after verse 15 in this chapter.
Job 31
Palabra de Dios para Todos
31 »Hice un pacto solemne con mis ojos:
no mirar con deseo a una muchacha.
2 ¿Y qué es lo que Dios le da a uno?
¿Qué le toca de herencia desde el cielo?
3 ¿Acaso la ruina no está destinada para el malo?
¿No es el desastre para el perverso?
4 ¿No está viendo Dios lo que yo hago?
¿No está al tanto de todos mis movimientos?
5 »Si yo he actuado deshonestamente
o me he apresurado a engañar a alguien,
6 que me pese Dios en la balanza de la justicia
y comprobará que soy inocente.
7 Si yo me he extraviado,
si mis ojos me han hecho pecar
o si me he dejado llevar por la codicia,
8 que siembre yo y otro coma,
que sean arrancadas mis cosechas.
9 »Si he sido seducido por una mujer
o he esperado a que mi vecino salga para pecar con su mujer,
10 entonces que mi esposa cocine para otro hombre,
y que otros hombres se acuesten con ella.
11 Si yo fuera seducido,
sería una vergüenza.
Pero si me acostara con la mujer de otro,
sería un crimen digno de castigo.
12 Porque tal maldad es un fuego que todo consume.
Destruiría de raíz toda mi producción.
13 »Si rehusé impartir justicia a mis esclavos y a mis esclavas
cuando traían alguna queja de mí,
14 ¿qué haré entonces cuando deba enfrentar a Dios?
¿Con qué le salgo a Dios cuando me pida explicaciones?
15 El mismo Dios que me creó a mí en el vientre de mi madre,
los creó a ellos;
a todos nos dio la vida desde antes de nacer.
16 »Nunca me he negado a ayudar a los pobres
ni he dejado que las viudas pasen hambre.
17 Nunca he sido egoísta con mi comida,
siempre la he compartido con los huérfanos.
18 Incluso desde que era joven, he sido como un papá para ellos.
Toda mi vida he cuidado de las viudas.
19 Cuando he visto sufriendo a quien no tenía ropa
o al necesitado que no tenía con qué cubrirse,
20 siempre le di vestido,
y usé la lana de mis propias ovejas para cobijarlo.
Y él me bendijo de todo corazón.
21 Nunca maltraté a un huérfano
aprovechándome de mi influencia en el tribunal[a].
22 Si hice alguna de esas cosas,
que mi brazo sea arrancado de su lugar
y se desprenda del hombro.
23 Porque lo que más temo es el castigo de Dios.
Ante su grandeza no puedo sostenerme.
24 »Nunca he confiado en las riquezas,
ni le he dicho al oro: “En ti he depositado toda mi confianza”.
25 Nunca presumí de mis riquezas
ni de todo lo que poseía.
26 Observé el bello esplendor del sol
y a la luna moviéndose radiante,
27 pero no a tal grado que mi mente
me hiciera adorarlos.
28 Eso sí sería un crimen digno de castigo
porque le hubiera fallado al Dios del cielo.
29 Nunca me alegré de la ruina de mis enemigos
ni me burlé de sus sufrimientos.
30 Jamás me permití hablar mal de mis enemigos
ni desearles la muerte.
31 La gente de mi casa decía: “No hay nadie que haya quedado insatisfecho
con la carne que Job le ha dado”.
32 El que ha llegado de otra parte no tuvo que dormir en la calle;
yo abría mis puertas al viajero.
33 Nunca he tratado de ocultar mi pecado
como hace la gente.
Tampoco he mantenido mis faltas en secreto,
34 por temor a una gran multitud
o por miedo a lo que mis familiares pudieran decir,
y me tocara guardar silencio y no salir de mi carpa.
35 »¿Quién hiciera posible que alguien me escuchara?
Aquí está mi defensa,
que el Todopoderoso me responda.
Que mi oponente escriba en un documento sus acusaciones.
36 Entonces yo me pondría ese documento en la espalda;
lo colocaría en mi cabeza como una corona.
37 Yo le informaría de todo lo que he hecho;
me acercaría a él como a un príncipe.
38 »Mi tierra no grita en contra mía
y sus surcos no lloran a una voz.
39 No he comido de sus frutos sin pagarlos,
ni he afligido a sus dueños.
40 Si alguna vez hice alguna de esas maldades,
entonces que las espinas y la maleza crezcan en mis campos».
Aquí finaliza lo dicho por Job.
Footnotes
- 31:21 tribunal Textualmente en la puerta. Los tribunales funcionaban en las puertas de entrada de las ciudades.
© 2005, 2015 Bible League International