Job 31

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

31 “I have made a covenant with my eyes;
    how, then, could I look upon a virgin?^(A)
2 What would be my portion from God above
    and my heritage from the Almighty^[a] on high?
³ Does not calamity befall the unrighteous
    and disaster the workers of iniquity?
⁴ Does he not see my ways
    and number all my steps?^(B)

⁵ “If I have walked with falsehood,
    and my foot has hurried to deceit—^(C)
6 let me be weighed in a just balance,
    and let God know my integrity!—^(D)
7 if my step has turned aside from the way,
    and my heart has followed my eyes,
    and if any spot has clung to my hands,^(E)
8 then let me sow and another eat,
    and let what grows for me be rooted out.^(F)

⁹ “If my heart has been enticed by a woman
    and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door,^(G)
10 then let my wife grind for another,
    and let other men kneel over her.^(H)
11 For that would be a heinous crime;
    that would be a criminal offense;^(I)
12 for that would be a fire consuming down to Abaddon,
    and it would burn to the root all my harvest.^(J)

¹³ “If I have rejected the cause of my male or female slaves,
    when they brought a complaint against me,^(K)
14 what then shall I do when God rises up?
    When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?
¹⁵ Did not he who made me in the womb make them?
    And did not one fashion us in the womb?^(L)

¹⁶ “If I have withheld anything that the poor desired
    or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail^(M)
17 or have eaten my morsel alone
    and the orphan has not eaten from it—^(N)
18 for from my youth I reared the orphan^[b] like a father,
    and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow^[c]—
¹⁹ if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing
    or a poor person without covering,
²⁰ whose loins have not blessed me,
    and who was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;^(O)
21 if I have raised my hand against the orphan
    because I saw I had supporters at the gate;^(P)
22 then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,
    and let my arm be broken from its socket.^(Q)
23 For I was in terror of calamity from God,
    and I could not have faced his majesty.^(R)

²⁴ “If I have made gold my trust
    or called fine gold my confidence,^(S)
25 if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great
    or because my hand had gotten much,^(T)
26 if I have looked at the sun^[d] when it shone
    or the moon moving in splendor,^(U)
27 and my heart has been secretly enticed,
    and my mouth has kissed my hand,
²⁸ this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
    for I should have been false to God above.^(V)

²⁹ “If I have rejoiced at the ruin of those who hated me
    or exulted when evil overtook them—^(W)
30 I have not let my mouth sin
    by asking for their lives with a curse—^(X)
31 if those of my tent ever said,
    ‘O that we might be sated with his flesh!’^[e]—^(Y)
32 the stranger has not lodged in the street;
    I have opened my doors to the traveler—^(Z)
33 if I have concealed my transgressions as others do,^[f]
    by hiding my iniquity in my bosom,^(AA)
34 because I stood in great fear of the multitude,
    and the contempt of families terrified me,
    so that I kept silence and did not go out of doors—^(AB)
35 O that I had one to hear me!
    (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty^[g] answer me!)
    O that I had the indictment written by my adversary!^(AC)
36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;
    I would bind it on me like a crown;
³⁷ I would give him an account of all my steps;
    like a prince I would approach him.^(AD)

³⁸ “If my land has cried out against me
    and its furrows have wept together,^(AE)
39 if I have eaten its yield without payment
    and caused the death of its owners,^(AF)
40 let thorns grow instead of wheat
    and foul weeds instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.^(AG)