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Lust

31 I’ve made a covenant with my eyes;
    how could I look at a virgin?
What is God’s portion for me[a] from above,
    the Almighty’s inheritance from on high?
Isn’t it disaster for the wicked,
    destruction for workers of iniquity?
Doesn’t he see my ways,
    count all my steps?

Deceit

If I have walked with frauds
        or my feet have hurried to deceit,
    let him weigh me on accurate scales;
        let God know my integrity.
If my step has turned from the way,
        if my heart has followed my eyes
        or a blemish has clung to my hands,
    then let me sow and another reap;
        let my offspring be uprooted.

Adultery

If my heart has been drawn to a woman
        and I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,
10     then may my wife grind for another
        and others kneel over her;
11     for that’s a crime;
        it’s a punishable offense;
12     indeed, it’s a fire that consumes to the underworld,[b]
        uprooting all my harvest.

Slaves

13 If I’ve rejected the just cause of my male or female servant
        when they contended with me,
14     what could I do when God rises;
        when he requires an account, what could I answer?
15 Didn’t the one who made me in the belly make them;
    didn’t the same one fashion us in the womb?

The defenseless

16 If I have denied what the poor wanted,
        made a widow’s eyes tired,
17     eaten my morsel alone,
        and not shared any with an orphan
(18     for from my youth I raised the orphan as a father,
        and from my mother’s womb I led the widow);[c]
19     if I ever saw someone dying without clothes, the needy naked;
20     if they haven’t blessed me fervently,[d]
        or if they weren’t warmed by the wool from my sheep;
21     if I have lifted my hand against the orphans,
        when I saw that I had help in the city gate—
22     may my arm fall from my shoulder,
        my forearm be broken at the elbow—
23     for God’s calamity is terror to me;
        I couldn’t endure his splendor.

False worship

24 If I’ve made gold my trust,
        said to fine gold: “My security!”
25     if I’ve rejoiced because my wealth was great,
        when my hand found plenty;
26     if I’ve looked at the sun when it shone,
        the moon, splendid as it moved;
27     and my mind has been secretly enticed,
        and threw a kiss with my hand,
28     that also is a punishable offense,
        because I would then be disloyal to God above.

Others' misfortune

29 If I have rejoiced over my foes’ ruin
        or was excited when evil found them,
30     I didn’t let my mouth sin
        by asking for their life with a curse.
31 Surely those in my tent never said:
    “Who has been filled by Job’s food?”
32 A stranger didn’t spend the night in the street;
    I opened my doors to the road.

Concealing sin

33 If I have hidden my transgressions like Adam,[e]
        concealing my offenses inside me
34     because I feared the large crowd;
        the clan’s contempt frightened me;
    I was quiet and didn’t venture outside.

Sealing the solemn pledge

35 Oh, that I had someone to hear me!
    Here’s my signature;[f]
    let the Almighty respond,
    and let my accuser write an indictment.
36 Surely I would bear it on my shoulder,
    tie it around me like a wreath.
37 I would give him an account of my steps,
    approach him like a prince.

Abuse of the land

38 If my land has cried out against me,
    its rows wept together;
39 if I have eaten its yield without payment
        and caused its owners grief,
40     may briars grow instead of wheat,
        poisonous weeds instead of barley.

Job’s words are complete.

Footnotes

  1. Job 31:2 Heb lacks for me.
  2. Job 31:12 Heb Abaddon
  3. Job 31:18 Heb lacks orphan . . . widow.
  4. Job 31:20 Or his loins
  5. Job 31:33 Or like a human
  6. Job 31:35 Heb tau, the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet

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