Job 31:9

9 Si mon cœur a été séduit par quelque femme, et si j'ai fait le guet à la porte de mon prochain,

Job 31:9 Meaning and Commentary

Job 31:9

If mine heart have been deceived by a woman
By another man's wife, by wantonly looking at her beauty, and so lusting after her; and so, not through any blame or fault of hers, or by any artful methods made use of by her, to allure and ensnare; such as were practised by the harlot, ( Proverbs 7:1-27 ) ; but by neither was the heart of Job deceived, and drawn into the sin of uncleanness; for he had made a covenant with his eyes, as not to look at a virgin, so much less at another man's wife, to prevent his lusting after her; and whatever temptations and solicitations he might have been attended with, through the grace of God, as Joseph was, he was enabled to withstand them; though as wise a man, and the wisest of men, had his heart deceived and drawn aside thereby, ( Ecclesiastes 7:26 ) ;

or [if] I have laid wait at my neighbour's door:
to meet with his wife there, and carry on an intrigue with her; or to take the opportunity of going in when opened, in order to solicit her to his embraces, knowing her husband to be away from home; see ( Proverbs 5:8 ) ( Proverbs 7:8 Proverbs 7:19 ) .

Job 31:9 In-Context

7 Si mes pas se sont détournés de la voie, et si mon cœur a suivi mes yeux, et si quelque souillure s'est attachée à mes mains,
8 Que je sème et qu'un autre mange, et que mes rejetons soient déracinés!
9 Si mon cœur a été séduit par quelque femme, et si j'ai fait le guet à la porte de mon prochain,
10 Que ma femme broie le grain pour un autre, et que d'autres se penchent sur elle!
11 Car c'est là une méchanceté préméditée, une iniquité punie par les juges.
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.