Job 31

Job Vindicates Himself

31:1 “I made a covenant with¹ my eyes;

how then could I entertain thoughts against a virgin?²

31:2 What then would be one’s lot from God above,

one’s heritage from the Almighty³ on high?

31:3 Is it not misfortune for the unjust,

and disaster for those who work iniquity?

31:4 Does he not see my ways

and count all my steps?

31:5 If⁴ I have walked in falsehood,

and if⁵ my foot has hastened⁶ to deceit –

31:6 let him⁷ weigh me with honest⁸ scales;

then God will discover⁹ my integrity.

31:7 If my footsteps have strayed from the way,

if my heart has gone after my eyes,¹⁰

or if anything¹¹ has defiled my hands,

31:8 then let me sow¹² and let another eat,

and let my crops¹³ be uprooted.

31:9 If my heart has been enticed by a woman,

and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door,¹⁴

31:10 then let my wife turn the millstone¹⁵ for another man,

and may other men have sexual relations with her.¹⁶

31:11 For I would have committed¹⁷ a shameful act,¹⁸

an iniquity to be judged.¹⁹

31:12 For it is a fire that devours even to Destruction,²⁰

and it would uproot²¹ all my harvest.

31:13 “If I have disregarded the right of my male servants

or my female servants

when they disputed²² with me,

31:14 then what will I do when God confronts me in judgment;²³

when he intervenes,²⁴

how will I respond to him?

31:15 Did not the one who made me in the womb make them?²⁵

Did not the same one form us in the womb?

31:16 If I have refused to give the poor what they desired,²⁶

or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

31:17 If I ate my morsel of bread myself,

and did not share any of it with orphans²⁷ –

31:18 but from my youth I raised the orphan²⁸ like a father,

and from my mother’s womb²⁹

I guided the widow!³⁰

31:19 If I have seen anyone about to perish for lack of clothing,

or a poor man without a coat,

31:20 whose heart did not bless me³¹

as he warmed himself with the fleece of my sheep,³²

31:21 if I have raised my hand³³ to vote against the orphan,

when I saw my support in the court,³⁴

31:22 then³⁵ let my arm fall from the shoulder,³⁶

let my arm be broken off at the socket.³⁷

31:23 For the calamity from God was a terror to me,³⁸

and by reason of his majesty³⁹ I was powerless.

31:24 “If I have put my confidence in gold

or said to pure gold,

‘You are my security!’

31:25 if I have rejoiced because of the extent of my wealth,

or because of the great wealth my hand had gained,

31:26 if I looked at the sun⁴⁰ when it was shining,

and the moon advancing as a precious thing,

31:27 so that my heart was secretly enticed,

and my hand threw them a kiss from my mouth,⁴¹

31:28 then this⁴² also would be iniquity to be judged,⁴³

for I would have been false⁴⁴ to God above.

31:29 If⁴⁵ I have rejoiced over the misfortune of my enemy⁴⁶

or exulted⁴⁷ because calamity⁴⁸ found him –

31:30 I⁴⁹ have not even permitted my mouth⁵⁰ to sin

by asking⁵¹ for his life through a curse –

31:31 if⁵² the members of my household⁵³ have never said,⁵⁴

‘If only there were⁵⁵ someone

who has not been satisfied from Job’s⁵⁶ meat!’ –

31:32 But⁵⁷ no stranger had to spend the night outside,

for I opened my doors to the traveler⁵⁸ –

31:33 if⁵⁹ I have covered my transgressions as men do,⁶⁰

by hiding⁶¹ iniquity in my heart,⁶²

31:34 because I was terrified⁶³ of the great multitude,⁶⁴

and the contempt of families terrified me,

so that I remained silent

and would not go outdoors – ⁶⁵

Job’s Appeal

31:35 “If only I had⁶⁶ someone to hear me!

Here is my signature – ⁶⁷

let the Almighty answer me!

If only I had an indictment⁶⁸

that my accuser had written.⁶⁹

31:36 Surely⁷⁰ I would wear it proudly⁷¹ on my shoulder,

I would bind⁷² it on me like a crown;

31:37 I would give him an accounting of my steps;

like a prince I would approach him.

Job’s Final Solemn Oath⁷³

31:38 “If my land cried out against me⁷⁴

and all its furrows wept together,

31:39 if I have eaten its produce without paying,⁷⁵

or caused the death⁷⁶ of its owners,⁷⁷

31:40 then let thorns sprout up in place of wheat,

and in place of barley, weeds!”⁷⁸

The words of Job are ended.

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