16 If I have refused the wishes of the poor
or let the widow’s(A) eyes go blind,
17 if I have eaten my few crumbs alone
without letting the fatherless eat any of it—
18 for from my youth, I raised him as his father,
and since the day I was born[a] I guided the widow—
19 if I have seen anyone dying for lack of clothing
or a needy person without a cloak,(B)
20 if he[b] did not bless me
while warming himself with the fleece from my sheep,
21 if I ever cast my vote[c] against a fatherless child
when I saw that I had support in the city gate,(C)
22 then let my shoulder blade fall from my back,
and my arm be pulled from its socket.
23 For disaster from God terrifies me,
and because of his majesty I could not do these things.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 31:18 Lit and from my mother’s womb
  2. 31:20 Lit his loins
  3. 31:21 Lit I raise my hand

16 “If I have kept (A)the poor from their desire,
Or have caused the eyes of (B)the widow to fail,
17 Or have (C)eaten my morsel alone,
And (D)the orphan has not [a]shared it
18 (But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,
And from [b]my infancy I guided her),
19 If I have seen anyone perish (E)for lack of clothing,
Or that (F)the needy had no covering,
20 If his waist has not [c]thanked me,
And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21 If I have lifted up my hand against (G)the orphan,
Because I saw [d]I had support (H)in the gate,
22 May my shoulder fall from its [e]socket,
And my (I)arm be broken off [f]at the elbow.
23 For (J)disaster from God is a terror to me,
And because of (K)His majesty I can do nothing.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 31:17 Lit eaten from it
  2. Job 31:18 Lit my mother’s womb
  3. Job 31:20 Lit blessed; i.e., for clothing
  4. Job 31:21 Lit my help
  5. Job 31:22 Lit neck-joint
  6. Job 31:22 Lit from the bone of the upper arm