Book of Job, Chapter 31
Job 31 ASV - American Standard VersionChapter 31 of Job—American Standard Version (ASV)
- ¶ I made a covenant with mine eyes;
¶ How then should I look upon a virgin? - ¶ [a]For what is the portion from God above,
¶ And the heritage from the Almighty on high? - ¶ Is it not calamity to the unrighteous,
¶ And disaster to the workers of iniquity? - ¶ Doth not he see my ways,
¶ And number all my steps? - ¶ If I have walked with falsehood,
¶ And my foot hath hasted to deceit - ¶ (Let me be weighed in an even balance,
¶ That God may know mine integrity); - ¶ If my step hath turned out of the way,
¶ And my heart walked after mine eyes,
¶ And if any spot hath cleaved to my hands: - ¶ Then let me sow, and let another eat;
¶ Yea, let [b]the produce of my field be rooted out. - ¶ If my heart hath been enticed unto a woman,
¶ And I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door; - ¶ Then let my wife grind unto another,
¶ And let others bow down upon her. - ¶ For that were a heinous crime;
¶ Yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges: - ¶ For it is a fire that consumeth unto [c]1Destruction,
¶ And would root out all mine increase. - ¶ If I have despised the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant,
¶ When they contended with me; - ¶ What then shall I do when God riseth up?
¶ And when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? - ¶ Did not he that made me in the womb make him?
¶ And did not one fashion us in the womb? - ¶ If I have withheld [d]the poor from their desire,
¶ Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, - ¶ Or have eaten my morsel alone,
¶ And the fatherless hath not eaten thereof - ¶ (Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,
¶ And her have I guided from my mother’s womb); - ¶ If I have seen any perish for want of clothing,
¶ Or that the needy had no covering; - ¶ If his loins have not blessed me,
¶ And if he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep; - ¶ If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless,
¶ Because I saw my help in the gate: - ¶ Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade,
¶ And mine arm be broken from the bone. - ¶ For calamity from God is a terror to me,
¶ And by reason of his majesty I can do nothing. - ¶ If I have made gold my hope,
¶ And have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence; - ¶ If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great,
¶ And because my hand had gotten much; - ¶ If I have beheld [e]the sun when it shined,
¶ Or the moon walking in brightness, - ¶ And my heart hath been secretly enticed,
¶ And [f]my mouth hath kissed my hand: - ¶ This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges;
¶ For I should have denied the God that is above. - ¶ If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me,
¶ Or lifted up myself when evil found him - ¶ (Yea, I have not suffered my [g]mouth to sin
¶ By asking his life with a curse); - ¶ If the men of my tent have not said,
¶ Who can find one that hath not been filled with his meat? - ¶ (The sojourner hath not lodged in the street;
¶ But I have opened my doors to [h]the traveller); - ¶ If [i]like Adam I have covered my transgressions,
¶ By hiding mine iniquity in my bosom, - ¶ Because I feared the great multitude,
¶ And the contempt of families terrified me,
¶ So that I kept silence, and went not out of the door— - ¶ Oh that I had one to hear me!
¶ (Lo, here is my [j]signature, let the Almighty answer me)
¶ And that I had the [k]indictment which mine adversary hath written! - ¶ Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder;
¶ I would bind it unto me as a crown: - ¶ I would declare unto him the number of my steps;
¶ As a prince would I [l]go near unto him. - ¶ If my land crieth out against me,
¶ And the furrows thereof weep together; - ¶ If I have eaten the [m]fruits thereof without money,
¶ Or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life: - ¶ Let [n]thistles grow instead of wheat,
¶ And [o]cockle instead of barley.
¶ The words of Job are ended.
FOOTNOTES
- ^ Or, For what portion should I have of God . . . And what heritage etc.? Is there not calamity etc.?
- ^ Or, my offspring. Hebrew my produce.
- ^ Hebrew Abaddon. See 26:6.
- ^ Or, aught that the poor desired
- ^ Hebrew the light.
- ^ Hebrew my hand hath kissed my mouth.
- ^ Hebrew palate.
- ^ Hebrew the way.
- ^ Or, after the manner of men
- ^ Hebrew mark.
- ^ Hebrew book.
- ^ Or, present it to him
- ^ Hebrew strength.
- ^ Or, thorns
- ^ Or, noisome weeds
REFERENCES
- ^ Jb 26:6
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