Job 31:19

19 if I despised a man passing forth by me, for he had not a cloth (because he had no cloak), and a poor man without (any) covering;

Job 31:19 Meaning and Commentary

Job 31:19

If I have seen any perish for want of clothing
A man may be in such poor circumstances as to want proper clothing to cover his naked body with, and preserve it from the inclemencies of the weather, and for want of it be ready to perish or die with cold. Job denies he had seen any such; not that he had never seen persons in such perishing circumstances; but he had not seen them as to "despise" them, as the Vulgate Latin version, as to have them in contempt, or look at them with disdain because of their poverty and rags, or sordid apparel; or so as to "overlook" them, as the Septuagint version, to neglect them, and to take no notice of them, and make no provision for their clothing, a warm and comfortable garment, as in ( Job 31:20 ) :

or any poor without covering;
without clothing sufficient to cover himself with, and keep him warm; Job had seen such objects, but he did not leave them in such a condition; he saw them, and had compassion on them, and clothed them.

Job 31:19 In-Context

17 (or) if I alone ate my morsel, and a fatherless child ate not thereof;

18 for merciful doing increased with me, (or was granted me,) from my young childhood, and it went out of my mother's womb with me;

19 if I despised a man passing forth by me, for he had not a cloth (because he had no cloak), and a poor man without (any) covering;

20 if his sides blessed not me, and were not made hot of the fleece of my sheep; (if his body had no reason to bless me, because he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;)

21 if I raised up mine hand upon a fatherless child, yea, when I saw me the higher (one) in the gate; (if I raised my hand against a fatherless child, when I knew that the higher men would overlook it;)