16 “If I have kept the poor from their desire,
Or caused the eyes of the widow to (A)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 [a]the widow);
19 If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
Or any poor man without covering;
20 If his [b]heart has not (B)blessed me,
And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21 If I have raised my hand (C)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 (D)destruction from God is a terror to me,
And because of His magnificence I cannot endure.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 31:18 Lit. her
  2. Job 31:20 Lit. loins

16 “If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

17 or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof

18 (for from my youth he was brought up with me as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother’s womb);

19 if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;

20 if his loins 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, when I saw my help in the gate”

22 then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.

23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of His highness I could not endure.

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