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.

JOB 31

Job Continues

I Promised Myself

1 I promised myself
never to stare with desire
at a young woman.

2 God All-Powerful punishes
men who do that.

3 In fact, God sends disaster
on all who sin,

4 and he keeps a close watch
on everything I do.

5 I am not dishonest or deceitful,

6 and I beg God to prove
my innocence.

7 If I have disobeyed him
or even wanted to,

8 then others can eat my harvest
and uproot my crops.

9 If I have desired someone's wife
and chased after her,

10 then let some stranger
steal my wife from me.

11 If I took someone's wife,
it would be a horrible crime,

12 sending me to destruction
and my crops to the flames.t

13 When my servants
complained against me,
I was fair to them.

14 Otherwise, what answer
would I give to God
when he judges me?

15 After all, God is the one
who gave life to each of us
before we were born.

I Have Never Cheated Anyone

16  t I have never cheated widows
or others in need,

17 and I have always shared
my food with orphans.

18 Since the time I was young,
I have cared for orphans
and helped widows.t

19 I provided clothes for the poor,

20 and I was praised
for supplying woolen garments
to keep them warm.

21 If I have ever raised my arm
to threaten an orphan
when the power was mine,

22 I hope that arm will fall
from its socket.

23 I could not have been abusive;
I was terrified at the thought
that God might punish me.

24  t I have never trusted
the power of wealth,

25 or taken pride in owning
many possessions.
*

26 I have never openly or secretly

27 worshiped the sun or moon.

28 Such horrible sins
would have deserved
punishment from God.

29 I have never laughed
when my enemies
were struck by disaster.

30 Neither have I sinned
by asking God
to send down on them
the curse of death.

31 No one ever went hungryt
at my house,

32 and travelers
were always welcome.

33 Many have attempted to hide
their sins from others—
but I refused.

34 And the fear of public disgrace
never forced me to keep silent
about what I had done.

Why Doesn't God Listen?

35 Why doesn't God All-Powerful
listen and answer?
If God has something against me,
let him speak up
or put it in writing!

36 Then I would wear his charges
on my clothes and forehead.

37 And with my head held high,
I would tell him everything
I have ever done.

38 I have never mistreated
the land I farmed
and made it mourn.t

39 Nor have I cheated
my workers
and caused them pain.t

40 If I had, I would pray
for weeds instead of wheat
to grow in my fields.
After saying these things,
Job was silent.