13 “If I have (A)rejected the claim of my male or female slaves
When they filed a complaint against me,
14 What then could I do when God arises?
And when He calls me to account, how am I to answer Him?
15 Did (B)He who made me in the womb not make him,
And the same one create us in the womb?

16 “If I have kept (C)the poor from their desire,
Or have caused the eyes of (D)the widow to fail,
17 Or have (E)eaten my morsel alone,
And (F)the orphan has not [a]shared it
18 (But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,
And from [b]my infancy I guided her),
19 If I have seen anyone perish (G)for lack of clothing,
Or that (H)the needy had no covering,
20 If his waist has not [c]thanked me,
And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21 If I have lifted up my hand against (I)the orphan,
Because I saw [d]I had support (J)in the gate,
22 May my shoulder fall from its [e]socket,
And my (K)arm be broken off [f]at the elbow.
23 For (L)disaster from God is a terror to me,
And because of (M)His majesty I can do nothing.

24 “If I have put my confidence in (N)gold,
And called fine gold my trust,
25 If I have (O)gloated because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had obtained so much;
26 If I have (P)looked at the [g]sun when it shone,
Or the moon going in splendor,
27 And my heart was secretly enticed,
And my hand [h]threw a kiss from my mouth,
28 That too would have been (Q)a guilty deed calling for [i]judgment,
For I would have (R)denied God above.

29 “Have I (S)rejoiced at the misfortune of my enemy,
Or become excited when evil found him?
30 [j]No, (T)I have not [k]allowed my mouth to sin
By asking for his life in (U)a curse.
31 Have the people of my tent not said,
‘Who can [l]find one who has not been (V)satisfied with his meat’?
32 The stranger has not spent the night outside,
For I have opened my doors to the [m]traveler.
33 Have I (W)covered my wrongdoings like a man,
By hiding my guilt in my shirt pocket,
34 Because I (X)feared the great multitude
And the contempt of families terrified me,
And I kept silent and did not go out of doors?
35 Oh that I had one to hear me!
Here is my [n]signature;
(Y)Let the Almighty answer me!
And the indictment which my (Z)adversary has written,
36 I would certainly carry it on my shoulder,
I would tie it to myself like a garland.
37 I would declare to Him (AA)the number of my steps;
Like (AB)a prince, I would approach Him.

38 “If my (AC)land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together;
39 If I have (AD)eaten its [o]fruit without money,
Or have (AE)caused [p]its owners to lose their lives,
40 May the (AF)thorn-bush [q]grow instead of wheat,
And stinkweed instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 31:17 Lit eaten from it
  2. Job 31:18 Lit my mother’s womb
  3. Job 31:20 Lit blessed; i.e., for clothing
  4. Job 31:21 Lit my help
  5. Job 31:22 Lit neck-joint
  6. Job 31:22 Lit from the bone of the upper arm
  7. Job 31:26 Lit light
  8. Job 31:27 Lit kissed my mouth
  9. Job 31:28 Lit judges
  10. Job 31:30 Lit And
  11. Job 31:30 Lit given my palate
  12. Job 31:31 Lit give
  13. Job 31:32 MT way
  14. Job 31:35 Lit mark
  15. Job 31:39 Lit strength
  16. Job 31:39 Lit the soul of its owners to expire
  17. Job 31:40 Lit come forth

13 “If I have denied justice to any of my servants,(A)
    whether male or female,
    when they had a grievance against me,(B)
14 what will I do when God confronts me?(C)
    What will I answer when called to account?(D)
15 Did not he who made me in the womb make them?(E)
    Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?(F)

16 “If I have denied the desires of the poor(G)
    or let the eyes of the widow(H) grow weary,(I)
17 if I have kept my bread to myself,
    not sharing it with the fatherless(J)
18 but from my youth I reared them as a father would,
    and from my birth I guided the widow(K)
19 if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing,(L)
    or the needy(M) without garments,
20 and their hearts did not bless me(N)
    for warming them with the fleece(O) from my sheep,
21 if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,(P)
    knowing that I had influence in court,(Q)
22 then let my arm fall from the shoulder,
    let it be broken off at the joint.(R)
23 For I dreaded destruction from God,(S)
    and for fear of his splendor(T) I could not do such things.(U)

24 “If I have put my trust in gold(V)
    or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’(W)
25 if I have rejoiced over my great wealth,(X)
    the fortune my hands had gained,(Y)
26 if I have regarded the sun(Z) in its radiance
    or the moon(AA) moving in splendor,
27 so that my heart was secretly enticed(AB)
    and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,(AC)
28 then these also would be sins to be judged,(AD)
    for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.(AE)

29 “If I have rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortune(AF)
    or gloated over the trouble that came to him(AG)
30 I have not allowed my mouth to sin
    by invoking a curse against their life(AH)
31 if those of my household have never said,
    ‘Who has not been filled with Job’s meat?’(AI)
32 but no stranger had to spend the night in the street,
    for my door was always open to the traveler(AJ)
33 if I have concealed(AK) my sin as people do,[a]
    by hiding(AL) my guilt in my heart
34 because I so feared the crowd(AM)
    and so dreaded the contempt of the clans
    that I kept silent(AN) and would not go outside—

35 (“Oh, that I had someone to hear me!(AO)
    I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me;
    let my accuser(AP) put his indictment in writing.
36 Surely I would wear it on my shoulder,(AQ)
    I would put it on like a crown.(AR)
37 I would give him an account of my every step;(AS)
    I would present it to him as to a ruler.(AT))—

38 “if my land cries out against me(AU)
    and all its furrows are wet(AV) with tears,
39 if I have devoured its yield without payment(AW)
    or broken the spirit of its tenants,(AX)
40 then let briers(AY) come up instead of wheat
    and stinkweed(AZ) instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.(BA)

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Footnotes

  1. Job 31:33 Or as Adam did

13 You call Me (A)‘Teacher’ and (B)‘Lord’; and [a]you are correct, for so I am.

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Footnotes

  1. John 13:13 Lit you say well

13 “You call me ‘Teacher’(A) and ‘Lord,’(B) and rightly so, for that is what I am.

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Masters, grant your slaves justice and fairness, (A)knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

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Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair,(A) because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

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