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Job 31
Legacy Standard Bible
Job 31
Legacy Standard Bible
31 “I have cut a covenant with my (A)eyes;
How then could I gaze at a virgin?
2 And what is (B)the portion of God from above
Or the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3 Is it not (C)disaster to the unjust
And misfortune to (D)those who work iniquity?
4 Does He not (E)see my ways
And (F)number all my steps?
5 “If I have (G)walked with worthlessness,
And my foot has hastened after deceit,
6 Let Him (H)weigh me with [a]just scales,
And let God know (I)my integrity.
7 If my step has (J)turned from the way,
Or my heart [b]followed my eyes,
Or if any (K)spot has stuck to my hands,
8 Let me (L)sow and another eat,
And let my [c](M)crops be uprooted.
9 “If my heart has been (N)enticed by a woman,
Or I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s doorway,
10 May my wife (O)grind for another,
And let (P)others [d]kneel down over her.
11 For that would be (Q)lewdness;
Moreover, it would be (R)an iniquity punishable by judges.
12 For it would be (S)fire that consumes to [e](T)Abaddon,
And would (U)uproot all my [f]produce.
13 “If I have (V)rejected the justice of my male or female [g]slaves
When they filed a complaint against me,
14 What then could I do when God arises?
And when He calls me to account, with what will I respond to Him?
15 Did not (W)He who made me in the womb make him,
And the same one fashion us in the womb?
16 “If I have held back (X)the poor from their desire,
Or have caused the eyes of (Y)the widow to fail,
17 Or have (Z)eaten my morsel alone,
And (AA)the orphan has not eaten from it
18 (But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,
And from the womb of my mother I guided her),
19 If I have seen anyone perish (AB)for lack of clothing,
Or that (AC)the needy had no covering,
20 If his loins have not blessed me,
And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21 If I have waved my hand against (AD)the orphan
Because I saw my help (AE)in the gate,
22 Let my shoulder fall from the [h]socket,
And my (AF)arm be broken off [i]at the elbow.
23 For (AG)disaster from God is a dread to me,
And because of (AH)His exaltedness I can do nothing.
24 “If I have put my confidence in (AI)gold,
And called fine gold my trust,
25 If I have (AJ)been glad because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had found so much,
26 If I have (AK)looked at the [j]sun when it shone
Or the moon going in splendor,
27 And my heart became secretly enticed,
And my hand [k]threw a kiss from my mouth,
28 That too would have been (AL)an iniquity calling for [l]judgment,
For I would have (AM)denied God above.
29 “If I (AN)have been glad at the upheaval of the one who hated me,
Or [m]exulted when evil found him—
30 But (AO)I have not given over my [n]mouth to sin
By asking for his life in (AP)a curse—
31 If the men of my tent have not said,
‘Who can [o]find one who has not been (AQ)satisfied with his meat’—
32 The sojourner has not lodged outside,
For I have opened my doors to the [p]traveler—
33 If I have (AR)covered my transgressions like [q]Adam,
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
34 Because I (AS)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!
Behold, here is my [r]signature;
(AT)Let the Almighty answer me!
And the indictment which my (AU)accuser has written,
36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;
I would bind it to myself like a crown.
37 I would declare to Him (AV)the number of my steps;
Like (AW)a prince I would approach Him—
38 “If my (AX)land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together,
39 If I have (AY)eaten its [s]fruit without money,
Or have (AZ)caused [t]its owners to lose their lives,
40 Let (BA)briars come out instead of wheat,
And stinkweed instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
Footnotes
- Job 31:6 Lit righteous; Job 8:3, 6; 29:14
- Job 31:7 Lit walked after
- Job 31:8 Or offspring
- Job 31:10 Sexual relations
- Job 31:12 Lit the realm of destruction
- Job 31:12 Or yield
- Job 31:13 Or servants, cf. Job 1:3
- Job 31:22 Or back; lit shoulder
- Job 31:22 Lit from the bone of the upper arm
- Job 31:26 Lit light
- Job 31:27 Lit kissed my mouth
- Job 31:28 Lit judges
- Job 31:29 Lit lifted myself up
- Job 31:30 Lit palate
- Job 31:31 Lit give
- Job 31:32 M.T. way
- Job 31:33 Or mankind
- Job 31:35 Lit mark
- Job 31:39 Lit strength
- Job 31:39 Lit the soul of its owners to expire
Job 31
New International Version
Job 31
New International Version
31 “I made a covenant with my eyes(A)
not to look lustfully at a young woman.(B)
2 For what is our lot(C) from God above,
our heritage from the Almighty on high?(D)
3 Is it not ruin(E) for the wicked,
disaster(F) for those who do wrong?(G)
4 Does he not see my ways(H)
and count my every step?(I)
5 “If I have walked with falsehood
or my foot has hurried after deceit(J)—
6 let God weigh me(K) in honest scales(L)
and he will know that I am blameless(M)—
7 if my steps have turned from the path,(N)
if my heart has been led by my eyes,
or if my hands(O) have been defiled,(P)
8 then may others eat what I have sown,(Q)
and may my crops be uprooted.(R)
9 “If my heart has been enticed(S) by a woman,(T)
or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,
10 then may my wife grind(U) another man’s grain,
and may other men sleep with her.(V)
11 For that would have been wicked,(W)
a sin to be judged.(X)
12 It is a fire(Y) that burns to Destruction[a];(Z)
it would have uprooted my harvest.(AA)
13 “If I have denied justice to any of my servants,(AB)
whether male or female,
when they had a grievance against me,(AC)
14 what will I do when God confronts me?(AD)
What will I answer when called to account?(AE)
15 Did not he who made me in the womb make them?(AF)
Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?(AG)
16 “If I have denied the desires of the poor(AH)
or let the eyes of the widow(AI) grow weary,(AJ)
17 if I have kept my bread to myself,
not sharing it with the fatherless(AK)—
18 but from my youth I reared them as a father would,
and from my birth I guided the widow(AL)—
19 if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing,(AM)
or the needy(AN) without garments,
20 and their hearts did not bless me(AO)
for warming them with the fleece(AP) from my sheep,
21 if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,(AQ)
knowing that I had influence in court,(AR)
22 then let my arm fall from the shoulder,
let it be broken off at the joint.(AS)
23 For I dreaded destruction from God,(AT)
and for fear of his splendor(AU) I could not do such things.(AV)
24 “If I have put my trust in gold(AW)
or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’(AX)
25 if I have rejoiced over my great wealth,(AY)
the fortune my hands had gained,(AZ)
26 if I have regarded the sun(BA) in its radiance
or the moon(BB) moving in splendor,
27 so that my heart was secretly enticed(BC)
and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,(BD)
28 then these also would be sins to be judged,(BE)
for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.(BF)
29 “If I have rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortune(BG)
or gloated over the trouble that came to him(BH)—
30 I have not allowed my mouth to sin
by invoking a curse against their life(BI)—
31 if those of my household have never said,
‘Who has not been filled with Job’s meat?’(BJ)—
32 but no stranger had to spend the night in the street,
for my door was always open to the traveler(BK)—
33 if I have concealed(BL) my sin as people do,[b]
by hiding(BM) my guilt in my heart
34 because I so feared the crowd(BN)
and so dreaded the contempt of the clans
that I kept silent(BO) and would not go outside—
35 (“Oh, that I had someone to hear me!(BP)
I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me;
let my accuser(BQ) put his indictment in writing.
36 Surely I would wear it on my shoulder,(BR)
I would put it on like a crown.(BS)
37 I would give him an account of my every step;(BT)
I would present it to him as to a ruler.(BU))—
38 “if my land cries out against me(BV)
and all its furrows are wet(BW) with tears,
39 if I have devoured its yield without payment(BX)
or broken the spirit of its tenants,(BY)
40 then let briers(BZ) come up instead of wheat
and stinkweed(CA) instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.(CB)
Job 31
Modern English Version
Job 31
Modern English Version
31 “I made a covenant with my eyes;
why then should I look upon a young woman?
2 For what portion of God is there from above?
And what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3 Does not destruction belong to the wicked,
and calamity to the workers of iniquity?
4 Does He not see my ways,
and count all my steps?
5 “If I have walked in vanity,
or if my foot has hurried after deceit,
6 let me be weighed in an even balance
that God may know my integrity.
7 If my step has turned out of the path,
and my heart has gone after my eyes,
and if any spot has clung to my hands,
8 then let me sow, but let another eat;
yes, let my offspring be rooted out.
9 “If my heart has been deceived by a woman,
or if I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door,
10 then let my wife grind for another,
and let others bow down over her.
11 For this is a heinous crime;
yes, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
12 For it is a fire that consumes to destruction
and would root out all my increase.
13 “If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant
when they complained against me,
14 what then will I do when God rises up?
And when He visits, what will I answer Him?
15 Did not He who made me in the womb make him?
And did not the same One fashion 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 by myself,
so that the fatherless could not eat of it
18 (but from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father,
and I have guided the widow from my mother’s womb);
19 if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
or any poor without covering;
20 if his body has not blessed me,
and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21 if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless,
when I saw I had help in the gate;
22 then let my arm fall from my shoulder blade,
and my arm be broken from the bone.
23 For destruction from God is a terror to me,
and because of His highness I cannot endure.
24 “If I have made gold my hope,
or have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence’;
25 if I rejoiced because my wealth was great,
and because my hand had gained much;
26 if I saw the sun when it shined,
or the moon moving in brightness;
27 and my heart has been secretly enticed,
or my mouth has kissed my hand;
28 this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judge,
for I would have denied the God who is above.
29 “If I rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me,
or lifted up myself when disaster found him
30 (nor have I allowed my mouth to sin
by wishing for a curse on his soul);
31 if the men of my tent have not said,
‘Who is there who has not been satisfied with his meat?’
32 (the stranger has not lodged in the street,
but I opened my doors to the traveler);
33 if I covered my transgressions as any man,
by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
34 did I fear a great multitude,
or did the contempt of families terrify me,
so that I kept silence, and did not go out of the door?
35 “Oh, that one would hear me!
Behold, my desire is that the Almighty would answer me,
and that the One who contends against me had written a book!
36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder
and bind it on me like a crown.
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 also weep together;
39 if I have eaten its fruit without money,
or have caused its owners to lose their life;
40 let thistles grow instead of wheat,
and weeds instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)
Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Modern English Version (MEV)
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.