Job 31

Job Asserts His Integrity

1 "I have made a covenant with my eyes;

How then could I look at a virgin?

2 "And what is the portion of God from above,

Or the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

3 "Is it not disaster to the criminal,

And misfortune to those who practice injustice?

4 "Does He not see my ways,

And count all my steps?

5 "If I have walked with deception,

And my foot has hurried after deceit,

6 Let Him weigh me with *31:6 Lit justaccurate scales,

And let God know my integrity.

7 "If my step has turned from the way,

Or my heart *31:7 Lit walked afterfollowed my eyes,

Or if any spot has stuck to my hands,

8 Let me sow and another eat,

And let my *31:8 Or offspringcrops be uprooted.

9 "If my heart has been enticed by a woman,

Or I have lurked at my neighbor’s doorway,

10 May my wife grind grain for another,

And let others *31:10 I.e., have sexual relations with herkneel down over her.

11 "For that would be a lustful crime;

Moreover, it would be wrongdoing punishable by judges.

12 "For it would be fire that consumes to *31:12 I.e., the place of destructionAbaddon,

And would uproot all my *31:12 Or yieldincrease.

13 "If I have rejected the claim of my male or female slaves

When they filed a complaint against me,

14 What then could I do when God arises?

And when He calls me to account, how am I to answer Him?

15 "Did He who made me in the womb not make him,

And the same One create us in the womb?

16 "If I have kept the poor from their desire,

Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17 Or have eaten my morsel alone,

And the orphan has not *31:17 Lit eaten from itshared it

18 (But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,

And from *31:18 Lit my mother’s wombmy infancy I guided her),

19 If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,

Or that the needy had no covering,

20 If his waist has not *31:20 Lit blessed; i.e., for clothingthanked me,

And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

21 If I have lifted up my hand against the orphan,

Because I saw *31:21 Lit my helpI had support in the gate,

22 May my shoulder fall from its*31:22 Lit neck-jointsocket,

And my arm be broken off *31:22 Lit from the bone of the upper armat the elbow.

23 "For disaster from God is a terror to me,

And because of His majesty I can do nothing.

24 "If I have put my confidence in gold,

And called fine gold my trust,

25 If I have gloated because my wealth was great,

And because my hand had obtained so much;

26 If I have looked at the *31:26 Lit lightsun when it shone,

Or the moon going in splendor,

27 And my heart was secretly enticed,

And my hand *31:27 Lit kissed my mouththrew a kiss from my mouth,

28 That too would have been a guilty deed calling for*31:28 Lit judgesjudgment,

For I would have denied God above.

29 "Have I rejoiced at the misfortune of my enemy,

Or become excited when evil found him?

30 "*31:30 Lit AndNo, I have not *31:30 Lit given my palateallowed my mouth to sin

By asking for his life in a curse.

31 "Have the people of my tent not said,

‘Who can *31:31 Lit givefind one who has not been satisfied with his meat’?

32 "The stranger has not spent the night outside,

For I have opened my doors to the *31:32 MT waytraveler.

33 "Have I covered my wrongdoings like a man,

By hiding my guilt in my shirt pocket,

34 Because I feared the great multitude

And the contempt of families terrified me,

And I kept silent and did not go out of doors?

35 "Oh that I had one to hear me!

Here is my *31:35 Lit marksignature;

Let the Almighty answer me!

And the indictment which my adversary has written,

36 I would certainly carry it on my shoulder,

I would tie it to myself like a garland.

37 "I would declare to Him the number of my steps;

Like a prince, I would approach Him.

38 "If my land cries out against me,

And its furrows weep together;

39 If I have eaten its *31:39 Lit strengthfruit without money,

Or have caused *31:39 Lit the soul of its owners to expireits owners to lose their lives,

40 May the thorn-bush *31:40 Lit come forthgrow instead of wheat,

And stinkweed instead of barley."

The words of Job are ended.