Job 31 — AAB

Job’s Final Appeal

31Verse 1“I have made a covenant with my eyes.How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin?^{Verse 2}For what is the allotment of God from above,or the heritage from the Almighty on high?^{Verse 3}Does not disaster come to the unjustand calamity to the workers of iniquity?^{Verse 4}Does He not see my waysand count my every step?^{Verse 5}If I have walked in falsehoodor my foot has rushed to deceit,^{Verse 6}let God weigh me with honest scales,that He may know my integrity.^{Verse 7}If my steps have turned from the path,if my heart has followed my eyes,
or if impurity has stuck to my hands,^{Verse 8}then may another eat what I have sown,and may my crops be uprooted.^{Verse 9}If my heart has been enticed by my neighbor’s wife,or I have lurked at his door,^{Verse 10}then may my own wife grind grain for another,and may other men sleep with her.^{Verse 11}For that would be a heinous crime,an iniquity to be judged.^{Verse 12}For it is a fire that burns down to Abaddon;⁺it would root out my entire harvest.^{Verse 13}If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservantwhen they made a complaint against me,^{Verse 14}what will I do when God rises to judge?How will I answer when called to account?^{Verse 15}Did not He who made me in the womb also make them?Did not the same One form us in the womb?^{Verse 16}If I have denied the desires of the pooror allowed the widow’s eyes to fail,^{Verse 17}if I have eaten my morsel alone,not sharing it with the fatherless—^{Verse 18}though from my youth I reared him as would a father,and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—^{Verse 19}if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing,or a needy man without a cloak,^{Verse 20}if his heart has not blessed me⁺for warming him with the fleece of my sheep,^{Verse 21}if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherlessbecause I saw that I had support in the gate,^{Verse 22}then may my arm fall from my shoulderand be torn from its socket.^{Verse 23}For calamity from God terrifies me,and His splendor I cannot overpower.^{Verse 24}If I have put my trust in goldor called pure gold my security,^{Verse 25}if I have rejoiced in my great wealthbecause my hand had gained so much,^{Verse 26}if I have beheld the sun⁺in its radianceor the moon moving in splendor,^{Verse 27}so that my heart was secretly enticedand my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,^{Verse 28}this would also be an iniquity to be judged,for I would have denied God on high.^{Verse 29}If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin,or exulted when evil befell him—^{Verse 30}I have not allowed my mouth to sinby asking for his life with a curse—^{Verse 31}if the men of my house have not said,‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’—^{Verse 32}but no stranger had to lodge on the street,for my door has been open to the traveler—^{Verse 33}if I have covered my transgressions like Adam⁺by hiding my guilt in my heart,^{Verse 34}because I greatly feared the crowdsand the contempt of the clans terrified me,so that I kept silentand would not go outside—^{Verse 35}(Oh, that I had one to hear me!Here is my signature.Let the Almighty answer me;let my accuser compose an indictment.^{Verse 36}Surely I would carry it on my shoulderand wear it like a crown.^{Verse 37}I would give account of all my steps;I would approach Him like a prince.)—^{Verse 38}if my land cries out against meand its furrows weep together,^{Verse 39}if I have devoured its produce without paymentor broken the spirit of its tenants,^{Verse 40}then let briers grow instead of wheatand stinkweed instead of barley.”
Thus conclude the words of Job.