Job 31:16-40
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 31
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 shared it 18(But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, And from my 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 thanked 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 I had support in the gate, 22May my shoulder fall from its socket, And my arm be broken off at the elbow. 23For 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 sun when it shone, Or the moon going in splendor, 27And my heart was secretly enticed, And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth, 28That too would have been a guilty deed calling for judgment, 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 No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking for his life in a curse. 31Have the people of my tent not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been satisfied with his meat’? 32The stranger has not spent the night outside, For I have opened my doors to the traveler. 33Have 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? 35Oh that I had one to hear me! Here is my signature; 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. 37I 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 fruit without money, Or have caused its owners to lose their lives,King James Version
Chapter 31
16If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
34Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?
35Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 31
16If I have refused the wishes of the poor or let the widow’s eyes go blind, 17if I have eaten my few crumbs alone without letting the fatherless eat any of it— 18for from my youth, I raised him as his father, and since the day I was born I guided the widow— 19if I have seen anyone dying for lack of clothing or a needy person without a cloak, 20if he did not bless me while warming himself with the fleece from my sheep, 21if I ever cast my vote against a fatherless child when I saw that I had support in the city gate, 22then let my shoulder blade fall from my back, and my arm be pulled from its socket.
23For disaster from God terrifies me, and because of his majesty I could not do these things.
24If I placed my confidence in gold or called fine gold my trust,
25if I have rejoiced because my wealth is great or because my own hand has acquired so much,
26if I have gazed at the sun when it was shining or at the moon moving in splendor,
27so that my heart was secretly enticed and I threw them a kiss,
28this would also be an iniquity deserving punishment, for I would have denied God above.
29Have I rejoiced over my enemy’s distress, or become excited when trouble came his way?
30I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse.
31Haven’t the members of my household said, "Who is there who has not had enough to eat at Job’s table?"
32No stranger had to spend the night on the street, for I opened my door to the traveler.
33Have I covered my transgressions as others do by hiding my iniquity in my heart
34because I greatly feared the crowds and because the contempt of the clans terrified me, so I grew silent and would not go outside?
35If only I had someone to hear my case! Here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me. Let my Opponent compose his indictment.
36I would surely carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown.
New Living Translation
Chapter 31
16'Have I refused to help the poor, or crushed the hopes of widows? 17Have I been stingy with my food and refused to share it with orphans? 18No, from childhood I have cared for orphans like a father, and all my life I have cared for widows. 19Whenever I saw the homeless without clothes and the needy with nothing to wear, 20did they not praise me for providing wool clothing to keep them warm?
21'If I raised my hand against an orphan, knowing the judges would take my side,
22then let my shoulder be wrenched out of place! Let my arm be torn from its socket!
23That would be better than facing God’s judgment. For if the majesty of God opposes me, what hope is there?
24'Have I put my trust in money or felt secure because of my gold?
25Have I gloated about my wealth and all that I own?
26'Have I looked at the sun shining in the skies, or the moon walking down its silver pathway,
27and been secretly enticed in my heart to throw kisses at them in worship?
28If so, I should be punished by the judges, for it would mean I had denied the God of heaven.
29'Have I ever rejoiced when disaster struck my enemies, or become excited when harm came their way?
30No, I have never sinned by cursing anyone or by asking for revenge.
31'My servants have never said, ‘He let others go hungry.’
32I have never turned away a stranger but have opened my doors to everyone.
33'Have I tried to hide my sins like other people do, concealing my guilt in my heart?
34Have I feared the crowd or the contempt of the masses, so that I kept quiet and stayed indoors?
35'If only someone would listen to me! Look, I will sign my name to my defense. Let the Almighty answer me. Let my accuser write out the charges against me.
36I would face the accusation proudly. I would wear it like a crown.
37For I would tell him exactly what I have done. I would come before him like a prince.
English Standard Version
Chapter 31
16"If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, 17or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it 18(for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father, and from my mother 's womb I guided the widow ), 19if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or the needy without covering, 20if his body has not blessed me, and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep, 21if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate, 22then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder, and let my arm be broken from its socket. 23For I was in terror of calamity from God, and I could not have faced his majesty. 24 "If I have made gold my trust or called fine gold my confidence, 25if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant or because my hand had found much, 26 if I have looked at the sun when it shone, or the moon moving in splendor, 27and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand, 28this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have been false to God above. 29"If I have rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me, or exulted when evil overtook him 30(I have not let my mouth sin by asking for his life with a curse), 31if the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who is there that has not been filled with his meat?’ 32(the sojourner has not lodged in the street; I have opened my doors to the traveler), 33if I have concealed my transgressions as others do by hiding my iniquity in my heart, 34because I stood in great fear of the multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors — 35Oh, that I had one to hear me! (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!) Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary! 36Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; I would bind it on me as a crown; 37I would give him an account of all my steps; like a prince I would approach him. 38"If my land has cried out against me and its furrows have wept together, 39 if I have eaten its yield without payment and made its owners breathe their last, 40let thorns grow instead of wheat, and foul weeds instead of barley." The words of Job are ended.New International Version
Chapter 31
16"If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary, 17if I have kept my bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless— 18but from my youth I reared them as a father would, and from my birth I guided the widow— 19if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or the needy without garments, 20and their hearts did not bless me for warming them with the fleece from my sheep, 21if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, knowing that I had influence in court, 22then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let it be broken off at the joint.
23For I dreaded destruction from God, and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things.
24"If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’
25if I have rejoiced over my great wealth, the fortune my hands had gained,
26if I have regarded the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor,
27so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,
28then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.
29"If I have rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortune or gloated over the trouble that came to him—
30I have not allowed my mouth to sin by invoking a curse against their life—
31if those of my household have never said, ‘Who has not been filled with Job’s meat?’—
32but no stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveler—
33if I have concealed my sin as people do, by hiding my guilt in my heart
34because I so feared the crowd and so dreaded the contempt of the clans that I kept silent and would not go outside—
35("Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing.
36Surely I would wear it on my shoulder, I would put it on like a crown.
New King James Version
