Job 31 (NASB2020)

Job Asserts His Integrity

1“I have made a covenant with my eyes;

How then could I look at a virgin?

2“And what is the portion of God from above,

Or the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

3“Is it not disaster to the criminal,

And misfortune to those who practice injustice?

4“Does He not see my ways,

And count all my steps?

5¶“If I have walked with deception,

And my foot has hurried after deceit,

6Let Him weigh me with 31:6 Lit justaccurate scales,

And let God know my integrity.

7“If my step has turned from the way,

Or my heart 31:7 Lit walked afterfollowed my eyes,

Or if any spot has stuck to my hands,

8Let me sow and another eat,

And let my 31:8 Or offspringcrops be uprooted.

9¶“If my heart has been enticed by a woman,

Or I have lurked at my neighbor’s doorway,

10May my wife grind grain for another,

And let others 31:10 I.e., have sexual relations with herkneel down over her.

11“For that would be a lustful crime;

Moreover, it would be wrongdoing punishable by judges.

12“For it would be fire that consumes to 31:12 I.e., the place of destructionAbaddon,

And would uproot all my 31:12 Or yieldincrease.

13¶“If I have rejected the claim of my male or female slaves

When they filed a complaint against me,

14What then could I do when God arises?

And when He calls me to account, how am I to answer Him?

15“Did He who made me in the womb not make him,

And the same One create us in the womb?

16¶“If I have kept the poor from their desire,

Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17Or have eaten my morsel alone,

And the orphan has not 31:17 Lit eaten from itshared it

18(But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,

And from 31:18 Lit my mother’s wombmy infancy I guided her),

19If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,

Or that the needy had no covering,

20If his waist has not 31:20 Lit blessed; i.e., for clothingthanked me,

And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

21If I have lifted up my hand against the orphan,

Because I saw 31:21 Lit my helpI had support in the gate,

22May my shoulder fall from its 31:22 Lit neck-jointsocket,

And my arm be broken off 31:22 Lit from the bone of the upper armat the elbow.

23“For disaster from God is a terror to me,

And because of His majesty I can do nothing.

24¶“If I have put my confidence in gold,

And called fine gold my trust,

25If I have gloated because my wealth was great,

And because my hand had obtained so much;

26If I have looked at the 31:26 Lit lightsun when it shone,

Or the moon going in splendor,

27And my heart was secretly enticed,

And my hand 31:27 Lit kissed my mouththrew a kiss from my mouth,

28That too would have been a guilty deed calling for 31:28 Lit judgesjudgment,

For I would have denied God above.

29¶“Have I rejoiced at the misfortune of my enemy,

Or become excited when evil found him?

30“31:30 Lit AndNo, I have not 31:30 Lit given my palateallowed my mouth to sin

By asking for his life in a curse.

31“Have the people of my tent not said,

‘Who can 31:31 Lit givefind one who has not been satisfied with his meat’?

32“The stranger has not spent the night outside,

For I have opened my doors to the 31:32 MT waytraveler.

33“Have I covered my wrongdoings like a man,

By hiding my guilt in my shirt pocket,

34Because I 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 31:35 Lit marksignature;

Let the Almighty answer me!

And the indictment which my adversary has written,

36I would certainly carry it on my shoulder,

I would tie it to myself like a garland.

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;

39If I have eaten its 31:39 Lit strengthfruit without money,

Or have caused 31:39 Lit the soul of its owners to expireits owners to lose their lives,

40May the thorn-bush 31:40 Lit come forthgrow instead of wheat,

And stinkweed instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.

Understand Job 31

Walk through Job 31 verse by verse, then read what three commentaries say about the chapter. The explanations are written for new readers.

Read the Job 31 commentary