If I have walked in falsehood
or my foot has rushed to deceit,
let God weigh me on accurate scales,(A)
and he will recognize my integrity.(B)

If my step has turned from the way,
my heart has followed my eyes,
or impurity has stained my hands,(C)
let someone else eat what I have sown,
and let my crops be uprooted.(D)

If my heart has gone astray over a woman
or I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,
10 let my own wife grind grain for another man,
and let other men sleep with[a] her.
11 For that would be a disgrace;
it would be an iniquity deserving punishment.(E)
12 For it is a fire that consumes down to Abaddon;
it would destroy my entire harvest.(F)

13 If I have dismissed the case of my male or female servants
when they made a complaint against me,
14 what could I do when God stands up to judge?
How should I answer him when he calls me to account?
15 Did not the one who made me in the womb also make them?
Did not the same God form us both in the womb?(G)

16 If I have refused the wishes of the poor
or let the widow’s(H) eyes go blind,
17 if I have eaten my few crumbs alone
without letting the fatherless eat any of it—
18 for from my youth, I raised him as his father,
and since the day I was born[b] I guided the widow—
19 if I have seen anyone dying for lack of clothing
or a needy person without a cloak,(I)
20 if he[c] did not bless me
while warming himself with the fleece from my sheep,
21 if I ever cast my vote[d] against a fatherless child
when I saw that I had support in the city gate,(J)
22 then let my shoulder blade fall from my back,
and my arm be pulled from its socket.
23 For disaster from God terrifies me,
and because of his majesty I could not do these things.(K)

24 If I placed my confidence in gold
or called fine gold my trust,(L)
25 if I have rejoiced because my wealth is great
or because my own hand has acquired so much,
26 if I have gazed at the sun when it was shining
or at the moon moving in splendor,(M)
27 so that my heart was secretly enticed
and I threw them a kiss,[e]
28 this would also be an iniquity deserving punishment,
for I would have denied God above.

29 Have I rejoiced over my enemy’s distress,
or become excited when trouble came his way?
30 I have not allowed my mouth to sin
by asking for his life with a curse.
31 Haven’t the members of my household said,
“Who is there who has not had enough to eat at Job’s table?”
32 No stranger had to spend the night on the street,
for I opened my door to the traveler.
33 Have I covered my transgressions(N) as others do[f]
by hiding my iniquity in my heart(O)
34 because I greatly feared the crowds
and because the contempt of the clans terrified me,
so I grew silent and would not go outside?

35 If only I had someone to hear my case!(P)
Here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me.
Let my Opponent compose his indictment.
36 I would surely carry it on my shoulder
and wear it like a crown.(Q)
37 I would give him an account of all my steps;
I would approach him like a prince.

38 If my land cries out against me
and its furrows join in weeping,
39 if I have consumed its produce without payment
or shown contempt for its tenants,[g]
40 then let thorns(R) grow instead of wheat
and stinkweed(S) instead of barley.

The words of Job are concluded.

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Footnotes

  1. 31:10 Lit men kneel down over
  2. 31:18 Lit and from my mother’s womb
  3. 31:20 Lit his loins
  4. 31:21 Lit I raise my hand
  5. 31:27 Lit and my hand kissed my mouth
  6. 31:33 Or as Adam
  7. 31:39 Lit or caused the breath of its tenants to breathe out

“If I have walked with falsehood
    or my foot has hurried after deceit(A)
let God weigh me(B) in honest scales(C)
    and he will know that I am blameless(D)
if my steps have turned from the path,(E)
    if my heart has been led by my eyes,
    or if my hands(F) have been defiled,(G)
then may others eat what I have sown,(H)
    and may my crops be uprooted.(I)

“If my heart has been enticed(J) by a woman,(K)
    or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,
10 then may my wife grind(L) another man’s grain,
    and may other men sleep with her.(M)
11 For that would have been wicked,(N)
    a sin to be judged.(O)
12 It is a fire(P) that burns to Destruction[a];(Q)
    it would have uprooted my harvest.(R)

13 “If I have denied justice to any of my servants,(S)
    whether male or female,
    when they had a grievance against me,(T)
14 what will I do when God confronts me?(U)
    What will I answer when called to account?(V)
15 Did not he who made me in the womb make them?(W)
    Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?(X)

16 “If I have denied the desires of the poor(Y)
    or let the eyes of the widow(Z) grow weary,(AA)
17 if I have kept my bread to myself,
    not sharing it with the fatherless(AB)
18 but from my youth I reared them as a father would,
    and from my birth I guided the widow(AC)
19 if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing,(AD)
    or the needy(AE) without garments,
20 and their hearts did not bless me(AF)
    for warming them with the fleece(AG) from my sheep,
21 if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,(AH)
    knowing that I had influence in court,(AI)
22 then let my arm fall from the shoulder,
    let it be broken off at the joint.(AJ)
23 For I dreaded destruction from God,(AK)
    and for fear of his splendor(AL) I could not do such things.(AM)

24 “If I have put my trust in gold(AN)
    or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’(AO)
25 if I have rejoiced over my great wealth,(AP)
    the fortune my hands had gained,(AQ)
26 if I have regarded the sun(AR) in its radiance
    or the moon(AS) moving in splendor,
27 so that my heart was secretly enticed(AT)
    and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,(AU)
28 then these also would be sins to be judged,(AV)
    for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.(AW)

29 “If I have rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortune(AX)
    or gloated over the trouble that came to him(AY)
30 I have not allowed my mouth to sin
    by invoking a curse against their life(AZ)
31 if those of my household have never said,
    ‘Who has not been filled with Job’s meat?’(BA)
32 but no stranger had to spend the night in the street,
    for my door was always open to the traveler(BB)
33 if I have concealed(BC) my sin as people do,[b]
    by hiding(BD) my guilt in my heart
34 because I so feared the crowd(BE)
    and so dreaded the contempt of the clans
    that I kept silent(BF) and would not go outside—

35 (“Oh, that I had someone to hear me!(BG)
    I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me;
    let my accuser(BH) put his indictment in writing.
36 Surely I would wear it on my shoulder,(BI)
    I would put it on like a crown.(BJ)
37 I would give him an account of my every step;(BK)
    I would present it to him as to a ruler.(BL))—

38 “if my land cries out against me(BM)
    and all its furrows are wet(BN) with tears,
39 if I have devoured its yield without payment(BO)
    or broken the spirit of its tenants,(BP)
40 then let briers(BQ) come up instead of wheat
    and stinkweed(BR) instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.(BS)

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Footnotes

  1. Job 31:12 Hebrew Abaddon
  2. Job 31:33 Or as Adam did