Job 31

Job's Final Appeal

1  "I have made a covenant with my eyes;
how then could I gaze at a virgin?
2  What would be my portion from God above
and my heritage from the Almighty on high?
3  Is not calamity for the unrighteous,
and disaster for the workers of iniquity?
4  Does not he see my ways
and number all my steps?

5  "If I have walked with falsehood
and my foot has hastened to deceit;
6  (Let me be weighed in a just balance,
and let God know my integrity!)
7  if my step has turned aside from the way
and my heart has gone after my eyes,
and if any spot has stuck to my hands,
8  then let me sow, and another eat,
and let what grows for met be rooted out.

9  "If my heart has been enticed toward a woman,
and I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door,
10  then let my wife grind for another,
and let others bow down on her.
11  For that would be a heinous crime;
that would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges;
12  for that would be a fire 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 makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?
15  Did not he who made me in the womb make him?
And did not one fashion us in the womb?

16  "If I have withheld anything that the poor desired,
or have 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 fatherlesst grew up with me as with a father,
and from my mother's womb I guided the widowt),
19  if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
or the needy without covering,
20  if his body has not blessed me,t
and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21  if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,
because I saw my help in 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 in terror of calamity from God,
and I could not have faced his majesty.

24  "If I have made gold my trust
or called fine gold my confidence,
25  if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant
or because my hand had found much,
26  if I have looked at the sunt when it shone,
or 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 an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
for I would have been false to God above.

29  "If I have rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me,
or exulted when evil overtook him
30  (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 meat?'
32  (the sojourner has not lodged in the street;
I have opened my doors to the traveler),
33  if I have concealed my transgressions as others dot
by hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
34  because I stood in great fear of 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 answer me!)
Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary!
36  Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;
I would bind it on me as 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  if I have eaten its yield without payment
and made its owners breathe their last,

40  let thorns grow instead of wheat,
and foul weeds instead of barley."
The words of Job are ended.

Job 31

Job Vindicates Himself

1 “I made a covenant witht my eyes;
how then could I entertain thoughts against a virgin?t

2 What then would be one’s lot from God above,
one’s heritage from the Almightyt on high?

3 Is it not misfortune for the unjust,
and disaster for those who work iniquity?

4 Does he not see my ways
and count all my steps?

5 Ift I have walked in falsehood,
and ift my foot has hasteneds to deceit –

6 let himt weigh me with honestt scales;
then God will discovert my integrity.

7 If my footsteps have strayed from the way,
if my heart has gone after my eyes,s
or if anythings has defiled my hands,

8 then let me sowt and let another eat,
and let my cropst be uprooted.

9 If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door,t

10 then let my wife turn the millstonet for another man,
and may other men have sexual relations with her.ts

11 For I would have committedt a shameful act,t
an iniquity to be judged.st

12 For it is a fire that devours even to Destruction,t
and it would uproott all my harvest.

13 “If I have disregarded the right of my male servants
or my female servants
when they disputedt with me,

14 then what will I do when God confronts me in judgment;t
when he intervenes,t
how will I respond to him?

15 Did not the one who made me in the womb make them?t
Did not the same one form us in the womb?

16 If I have refused to give the poor what they desired,t
or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17 If I ate my morsel of bread myself,
and did not share any of it with orphanst –

18 but from my youth I raised the orphant like a father,
and from my mother’s wombt
I guided the widow!t

19 If I have seen anyone about to perish for lack of clothing,
or a poor man without a coat,

20 whose heart did not bless met
as he warmed himself with the fleece of my sheep,t

21 if I have raised my handt to vote against the orphan,
when I saw my support in the court,t

22 thens let my arm fall from the shoulder,t
let my arm be broken off at the socket.t

23 For the calamity from God was a terror to me,s
and by reason of his majestyt I was powerless.

24 “If I have put my confidence in gold
or said to pure gold,
‘You are my security!’

25 if I have rejoiced because of the extent of my wealth,
or because of the great wealth my hand had gained,

26 if I looked at the sunt when it was shining,
and the moon advancing as a precious thing,

27 so that my heart was secretly enticed,
and my hand threw them a kiss from my mouth,t

28 then thist also would be iniquity to be judged,t
for I would have been falset to God above.

29 Ift I have rejoiced over the misfortune of my enemys
or exultedt because calamityt found him –

30 It have not even permitted my moutht to sin
by askingt for his life through a curse –

31 ift the members of my householdt have never said,s
‘If only there weret someone
who has not been satisfied from Job’st meat!’ –

32 Butt no stranger had to spend the night outside,
for I opened my doors to the travelert –

33 ift I have covered my transgressions as men do,s
by hidingt iniquity in my heart,t

34 because I was terrifiedt of the great multitude,t
and the contempt of families terrified me,
so that I remained silent
and would not go outdoors – s

Job’s Appeal

35 “If only I hadt someone to hear me!
Here is my signature – t
let the Almighty answer me!
If only I had an indictmentt
that my accuser had written.t

36 Surelyt I would wear it proudlyt on my shoulder,
I would bindt it on me like a crown;

37 I would give him an accounting of my steps;
like a prince I would approach him.

Job’s Final Solemn Oath

38 “If my land cried out against mes
and all its furrows wept together,

39 if I have eaten its produce without paying,t
or caused the deaths of its owners,t

40 then let thorns sprout up in place of wheat,
and in place of barley, weeds!”t
The words of Job are ended.