Job 31:1-40 (New American Standard)

Job Asserts His Integrity

1 "I have made a covenant with my ¹eyes ; How then could I gaze at a virgin ? 2 "And what is ²the portion of God from above Or the heritage of the Almighty from on high ? 3 "Is it not ³calamity to the unjust And disaster to ⁴those who work iniquity ? 4 "Does He not ⁵see my ways And ⁶number all my steps ? 5 "If I have ⁷walked with falsehood, And my foot has hastened after deceit, 6 Let Him ⁸weigh me with ^aaccurate scales, And let God know ⁹my integrity. 7 "If my step has ¹⁰turned from the way, Or my heart ^bfollowed my eyes, Or if any ¹¹spot has stuck to my hands, 8 Let me ¹²sow and another eat, And let my ^c13crops be uprooted. 9 "If my heart has been ¹⁴enticed by a woman, Or I have lurked at my neighbor's doorway, 10 May my wife ¹⁵grind for another, And let ¹⁶others ^dkneel down over her. 11 "For that would be a ¹⁷lustful crime ; Moreover, it would be ¹⁸an iniquity punishable by judges. 12 "For it would be ¹⁹fire that consumes to ^e20Abaddon, And would ²¹uproot all my ^fincrease. 13 "If I have ²²despised the claim of my male or female slaves When they filed a complaint against me, 14 What then could I do when God arises ? And when He calls me to account, what will I answer Him? 15 "Did not ²³He who made me in the womb make him, And the same one fashion us in the womb ? 16 "If I have kept ²⁴the poor from their desire, Or have caused the eyes of ²⁵the widow to fail, 17 Or have ²⁶eaten my morsel alone, And ²⁷the orphan has not ^gshared it 18 (But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, And from ^hinfancy I guided her), 19 If I have seen anyone perish ²⁸for lack of clothing, Or that ²⁹the needy had no covering, 20 If his loins have not ⁱthanked me, And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep, 21 If I have lifted up my hand against ³⁰the orphan, Because I saw ^jI had support ³¹in the gate, 22 Let my shoulder fall from the ^ksocket, And my ³²arm be broken off ^lat the elbow. 23 "For ³³calamity from God is a terror to me, And because of ³⁴His ^mmajesty I can do nothing. 24 "If I have put my confidence in ³⁵gold, And called fine gold my trust, 25 If I have ³⁶gloated because my wealth was great, And because my hand had secured so much ; 26 If I have ³⁷looked at the ⁿsun when it shone Or the moon going in splendor, 27 And my heart became secretly enticed, And my hand ^othrew a kiss from my mouth, 28 That too would have been ³⁸an iniquity calling for ^pjudgment, For I would have ³⁹denied God above . 29 "Have I ⁴⁰rejoiced at the extinction of my enemy, Or ^qexulted when evil befell him? 30 "^rNo, ⁴¹I have not ^sallowed my mouth to sin By asking for his life in ⁴²a curse. 31 "Have the men of my tent not said, 'Who can ^tfind one who has not been ⁴³satisfied with his meat '? 32 "The alien has not lodged outside, For I have opened my doors to the ^utraveler. 33 "Have I ⁴⁴covered my transgressions like ^vAdam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom, 34 Because I ⁴⁵feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, And kept silent and did not go out of doors ? 35 "Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my ^wsignature ; ⁴⁶Let the Almighty answer me! And the indictment which my ⁴⁷adversary 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 ⁴⁸the number of my steps ; Like ⁴⁹a prince I would approach Him. 38 "If my ⁵⁰land cries out against me, And its furrows weep together ; 39 If I have ⁵¹eaten its ^xfruit without money, Or have ⁵²caused ^yits owners to lose their lives, 40 Let ⁵³briars ^zgrow instead of wheat, And stinkweed instead of barley." The words of Job are ended.