Job 31New King James Version
Job Defends His Righteousness
31 “I have made a covenant with my eyes;
Why then should I[a]look upon a(A)young woman?
2 For whatisthe(B)allotment of God from above,
And the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3 Isit not destruction for the wicked,
And disaster for the workers of iniquity?
4 (C)Does He not see my ways,
And count all my steps?
5 “If I have walked with falsehood,
Or if my foot has hastened to deceit,
6 [b]Let me be weighed on honest scales,
That God may know my(D)integrity.
7 If my step has turned from the way,
Or(E)my heart walked after my eyes,
Or if any spot adheres to my hands,
8 Then(F)let me sow, and another eat;
Yes, let my harvest be[c]rooted out.
9 “If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
OrifI have lurked at my neighbor’s door,
10 Thenlet my wife grind for(G)another,
And let others bow down over her.
11 For thatwould bewickedness;
Yes,(H)itwould beiniquitydeserving ofjudgment.
12 For thatwould bea firethatconsumes to destruction,
And would root out all my increase.
13 “If I have(I)despised the cause of my male or female servant
When they complained against me,
14 What then shall I do when(J)God rises up?
When He punishes, how shall I answer Him?
15 (K)Did not He who made me in the womb make them?
Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?
16 “If I have kept the poor fromtheirdesire,
Or caused the eyes of the widow to(L)fail,
17 Or eaten my morsel by myself,
So that the fatherless could not eat of it
18 (But from my youth I reared him as a father,
And from my mother’s womb I guided[d]the widow);
19 If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
Or any poormanwithout covering;
20 If his[e]heart has not(M)blessed me,
Andifhe wasnotwarmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21 If I have raised my hand(N)against the fatherless,
When I saw I had help in the gate;
22 Thenlet my arm fall from my shoulder,
Let my arm be torn from the socket.
23 For(O)destructionfromGodisa terror to me,
And because of His magnificence I cannot endure.
24 “If(P)I have made gold my hope,
Or said to fine gold, ‘You aremy confidence’;
25 (Q)If I have rejoiced because my wealthwasgreat,
And because my hand had gained much;
26 (R)If I have observed the[f]sun when it shines,
Or the moon movinginbrightness,
27 So that my heart has been secretly enticed,
And my mouth has kissed my hand;
28 This alsowould bean iniquitydeserving ofjudgment,
For I would have denied Godwho isabove.
29 “If(S)I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me,
Or lifted myself up when evil found him
30 (T)(Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin
By asking for a curse on his[g]soul);
31 If the men of my tent have not said,
‘Who is there that has not been satisfied with his meat?’
32 (U)(Butno sojourner had to lodge in the street,
ForI have opened my doors to the[h]traveler);
33 If I have covered my transgressions(V)as[i]Adam,
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
34 Because I feared the great(W)multitude,
And dreaded the contempt of families,
So that I kept silence
Anddid not go out of the door—
35 (X)Oh, that I had one to hear me!
Here is my mark.
Oh,(Y)thatthe Almighty would answer me,
Thatmy[j]Prosecutor had written a book!
36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder,
Andbind it on melikea crown;
37 I would declare to Him the number of my steps;
Like a prince I would approach Him.
38 “If my land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together;
39 If(Z)I have eaten its[k]fruit without money,
Or(AA)caused its owners to lose their lives;
40 Thenlet(AB)thistles grow instead of wheat,
And weeds instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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