Job 31

Job’s Final Appeal

1  “I have made a covenant with my a eyes;
how then could I gaze at a virgin?
 2 What would be b my portion from God above
and c my heritage from the Almighty on high?
 3 Is not calamity for the unrighteous,
and disaster for the workers of iniquity?
 4  d Does not he see my ways
and e number all my steps?
 5  “If I have walked with falsehood
and my foot has hastened to deceit;
 6 (Let me be f weighed in a just balance,
and let God know my integrity!)
 7 if my step has turned aside from the way
and g my heart has gone after my eyes,
and if any h spot has stuck to my hands,
 8 then let me i sow, and another eat,
and let what grows for me ▼
▼ Or  let my descendants
 be rooted out.
 9  “If my heart has been enticed toward a woman,
and I have k lain in wait at my neighbor’s door,
 10 then let my wife l grind for another,
and let others m bow down on her.
 11 For that would be a heinous crime;
that would be an iniquity n to be punished by the judges;
 12 for that would be a fire o 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 p makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?
 15 Did q not he who made me in the womb make him?
And did not one fashion us in the womb?
 16  “If I have r withheld anything that the poor desired,
or have s 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 fatherless ▼
▼ Hebrew he
 grew up with me as with a father,
and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow ▼
▼ Hebrew her
),
 19 if I have seen anyone v perish for w lack of clothing,
or the needy without x covering,
 20 if his body has not y blessed me, ▼
▼ Hebrew  if his loins have not blessed me

and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
 21 if I have raised my hand against aa the fatherless,
because I saw my help in ab 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 ac in terror of calamity from God,
and I could not have faced his ad majesty.
 24  ae “If I have made gold my af trust
or called ag fine gold my confidence,
 25 if I have ah rejoiced because my wealth was abundant
or because ai my hand had found much,
 26  aj if I have looked at the sun ▼
▼ Hebrew  the light
 when it shone,
or al 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 am an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
for I would have been false to God above.
 29  “If I have an rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me,
or exulted when evil overtook him
 30 ( ao 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 ap meat?’
 32 ( aq the sojourner has not lodged in the street;
I have opened my doors to the traveler),
 33 if I ar have concealed my transgressions as as others do ▼
▼ Or  as Adam did

by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
 34 because I stood in great fear of au 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 av answer me!)
Oh, that I had aw the indictment written by my adversary!
 36 Surely I would carry it on my ax shoulder;
I would ay bind it on me as az 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  ba if I have eaten its yield without payment
and made its owners bb breathe their last,
 40 let bc thorns grow instead of wheat,
and foul weeds instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.

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