Job 31

1 HICE pacto con mis ojos: ¿Cómo pues había yo de pensar en virgen?

2 Porque ¿qué galardón me daría de arriba Dios, Y qué heredad el Omnipotente de las alturas?

3 ¿No hay quebrantamiento para el impío, Y extrañamiento para los que obran iniquidad?

4 ¿No ve él mis caminos, Y cuenta todos mis pasos?

5 Si anduve con mentira, Y si mi pie se apresuró á engaño,

6 Péseme Dios en balanzas de justicia, Y conocerá mi integridad.

7 Si mis pasos se apartaron del camino, Y si mi corazón se fué tras mis ojos, Y si algo se apegó á mis manos,

8 Siembre yo, y otro coma, Y mis verduras sean arrancadas.

9 Si fué mi corazón engañado acerca de mujer, Y si estuve acechando á la puerta de mi prójimo:

10 Muela para otro mi mujer, Y sobre ella otros se encorven.

11 Porque es maldad é iniquidad, Que han de castigar los jueces.

12 Porque es fuego que devoraría hasta el sepulcro, Y desarraigaría toda mi hacienda.

13 Si hubiera tenido en poco el derecho de mi siervo y de mi sierva, Cuando ellos pleitearan conmigo,

14 ¿Qué haría yo cuando Dios se levantase? Y cuando él visitara, ¿qué le respondería yo?

15 El que en el vientre me hizo á mí, ¿no lo hizo á él? ¿Y no nos dispuso uno mismo en la matriz?

16 Si estorbé el contento de los pobres, E hice desfallecer los ojos de la viuda;

17 Y si comí mi bocado solo, Y no comió de él el huerfano;

18 (Porque desde mi mocedad creció conmigo como con padre, Y desde el vientre de mi madre fuí guía de la viuda;)

19 Si he visto que pereciera alguno sin vestido, Y al menesteroso sin cobertura;

20 Si no me bendijeron sus lomos, Y del vellón de mis ovejas se calentaron;

21 Si alcé contra el huérfano mi mano, Aunque viese que me ayudarían en la puerta;

22 Mi espalda se caiga de mi hombro, Y mi brazo sea quebrado de mi canilla.

23 Porque temí el castigo de Dios, Contra cuya alteza yo no tendría poder.

24 Si puse en oro mi esperanza, Y dije al oro: Mi confianza eres tú;

25 Si me alegré de que mi hacienda se multiplicase, Y de que mi mano hallase mucho;

26 Si he mirado al sol cuando resplandecía, Y á la luna cuando iba hermosa,

27 Y mi corazón se engañó en secreto, Y mi boca besó mi mano:

28 Esto también fuera maldad juzgada; Porque habría negado al Dios soberano.

29 Si me alegré en el quebrantamiento del que me aborrecía, Y me regocijé cuando le halló el mal;

30 (Que ni aun entregué al pecado mi paladar, Pidiendo maldición para su alma;)

31 Cuando mis domésticos decían: ¡Quién nos diese de su carne! nunca nos hartaríamos.

32 El extranjero no tenía fuera la noche; Mis puertas abría al caminante.

33 Si encubrí, como los hombres mis prevaricaciones, Escondiendo en mi seno mi iniquidad;

34 Porque quebrantaba á la gran multitud, Y el menosprecio de las familias me atemorizó, Y callé, y no salí de mi puerta:

35 ¡Quién me diera quien me oyese! He aquí mi impresión es que el Omnipotente testificaría por mí, Aunque mi adversario me hiciera el proceso.

36 Ciertamente yo lo llevaría sobre mi hombro, Y me lo ataría en lugar de corona.

37 Yo le contaría el número de mis pasos, Y como príncipe me llegaría á él.

38 Si mi tierra clama contra mí, Y lloran todos sus surcos;

39 Si comí su sustancia sin dinero, O afligí el alma de sus dueños;

40 En lugar de trigo me nazcan abrojos, Y espinas en lugar de cebada.

Job 31 Commentary

Chapter 31

Job declares his uprightness. (1-8) His integrity. (9-15) Job merciful. (16-23) Job not guilty of covetousness or idolatry. (24-32) Job not guilty of hypocrisy and violence. (33-40)

Verses 1-8 Job did not speak the things here recorded by way of boasting, but in answer to the charge of hypocrisy. He understood the spiritual nature of God's commandments, as reaching to the thoughts and intents of the heart. It is best to let our actions speak for us; but in some cases we owe it to ourselves and to the cause of God, solemnly to protest our innocence of the crimes of which we are falsely accused. The lusts of the flesh, and the love of the world, are two fatal rocks on which multitudes split; against these Job protests he was always careful to stand upon his guard. And God takes more exact notice of us than we do of ourselves; let us therefore walk circumspectly. He carefully avoided all sinful means of getting wealth. He dreaded all forbidden profit as much as all forbidden pleasure. What we have in the world may be used with comfort, or lost with comfort, if honestly gotten. Without strict honestly and faithfulness in all our dealings, we can have no good evidence of true godliness. Yet how many professors are unable to abide this touchstone!

Verses 9-15 All the defilements of the life come from a deceived heart. Lust is a fire in the soul: those that indulge it, are said to burn. It consumes all that is good there, and lays the conscience waste. It kindles the fire of God's wrath, which, if not quenched by the blood of Christ, will consume even to eternal destruction. It consumes the body; it consumes the substance. Burning lusts bring burning judgments. Job had a numerous household, and he managed it well. He considered that he had a Master in heaven; and as we are undone if God should be severe with us, we ought to be mild and gentle towards all with whom we have to do.

Verses 16-23 Job's conscience gave testimony concerning his just and charitable behaviour toward the poor. He is most large upon this head, because in this matter he was particularly accused. He was tender of all, and hurtful to none. Notice the principles by which Job was restrained from being uncharitable and unmerciful. He stood in awe of the Lord, as certainly against him, if he should wrong the poor. Regard to worldly interests may restrain a man from actual crimes; but the grace of God alone can make him hate, dread, and shun sinful thoughts and desires.

Verses 24-32 Job protests, 1. That he never set his heart upon the wealth of this world. How few prosperous professors can appeal to the Lord, that they have not rejoiced because their gains were great! Through the determination to be rich, numbers ruin their souls, or pierce themselves with many sorrows. 2. He never was guilty of idolatry. The source of idolatry is in the heart, and it corrupts men, and provokes God to send judgments upon a nation. 3. He neither desired nor delighted in the hurt of the worst enemy he had. If others bear malice to us, that will not justify us in bearing malice to them. 4. He had never been ( 1 Peter. 4:9 )

Verses 33-40 Job clears himself from the charge of hypocrisy. We are loth to confess our faults, willing to excuse them, and to lay the blame upon others. But he that thus covers his sins, shall not prosper, ( Proverbs 28:13 ) . He speaks of his courage in what is good, as an evidence of his sincerity in it. When men get estates unjustly, they are justly deprived of comfort from them; it was sown wheat, but shall come up thistles. What men do not come honestly by, will never do them any good. The words of Job are ended. They end with a bold assertion, that, with respect to accusation against his moral and religious character as the cause for his sufferings, he could appeal to God. But, however confident Job was, we shall see he was mistaken, chap. 40:4, chap. 40:5 ; 1Jo. 1:8 . Let us all judge ourselves; wherein we are guilty, let us seek forgiveness in that blood which cleanseth from all sin; and may the Lord have mercy upon us, and write his laws in our hearts!

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 31

In this chapter Job gives an account of himself in private life, of the integrity and uprightness of his life, and his holy walk and conversation, with this view, that it might be thought that the afflictions which were upon him were not on account of a vicious course of life he had indulged unto, as was suggested; and he clears himself from various crimes which it might be insinuated he was guilty of, as from unchastity; and he observes the method he took to prevent his falling into it, and the reasons that dissuaded him from it, Job 31:1-4; from injustice in his dealings with men, Job 31:5-8; from the sin of adultery, Job 31:9-12; from ill usage of his servants, Job 31:13-15; from unkindness to the poor, which he enlarges upon, and gives many instances of his charity to them, Job 31:16-23; from covetousness, and a vain confidence in wealth, Job 31:24,25; from idolatry, the worship of the sun and moon, Job 31:26-28; from a revengeful spirit, Job 31:29-31; and from inhospitality to strangers, Job 31:32; from covering his sin, Job 31:33; and fear of men, Job 31:34; and then wishes his cause might be heard before God, Job 31:35-37; and the chapter is closed with an imprecation on his head if guilty of any injustice, Job 31:38-40.