31
1 “I vowed to myself never to look with desire at young women. 2 What should people expect to receive from God? What reward should the Almighty on high give them? 3 Isn't it disaster for the wicked and destruction for those who do wrong? 4 Doesn't God see everything I do—even count every step I take? 5 Have I lived a deceitful life? Have I been eager to tell lies?* 6 No! Let God weigh me on the scales of his justice and let him discover my integrity.
7 If I have wandered from God's way, if I have let what I see become my desires,† if there's any stain of sin on my hands, 8 then let someone else eat what I have sown, and all that I have grown be uprooted. 9 If a woman has seduced me, or if I have looked for an opportunity to sleep with my neighbor's wife,‡ 10 then let my wife serve§ another, let other men sleep with her. 11 For that would be wicked, a sin deserving punishment, 12 for this sin is like a fire that leads to destruction,* destroying everything I have.
13 If I had refused to listen to my menservants or maidservants when they brought their complaints to me, 14 what would I do when God came to judge me? How would I reply if he investigated me? 15 Didn't the same God make all of us?† 16 Have I refused to give the poor what they needed, or caused widows to despair? 17 Have I even eaten just a piece of bread by myself? Haven't I always shared my food with orphans? 18 From when I was young I was a father to orphans and took care of widows. 19 If ever I saw someone needing clothes, the poor without anything to wear, 20 they always thanked me for the wool clothing that kept them warm.
21 If I raised my hand to hit an orphan, confident that if it came to court the judges would be on my side,‡ 22 then let my shoulder be pulled from its joint, my arm wrenched out of its socket. 23 Since I'm terrified of what punishment God may have in store for me, and because of his majesty, I could never do this.
24 Have I put my trust in gold, calling fine gold, ‘My security’? 25 Have I delighted in being rich, happy at all my wealth I had gained? 26 Have I looked at the sun shining so brilliantly or the moon moving in majesty across the sky 27 and been tempted to secretly worship them by kissing my hand§ to them in devotion? 28 This too would be a sin deserving punishment* for it would mean I had denied God above.
29 Have I ever been happy when disaster destroyed those who hated me, or celebrated when evil took them down? 30 I have never allowed my mouth to sin by putting a curse on someone's life. 31 Haven't my family asked, ‘Is there anyone who has not eaten as much as they wanted of his food?’ 32 I have never let strangers sleep in the street; I have opened my doors to travelers. 33 Have I concealed my sins from others, hiding my wrongdoing deep inside me? 34 Was I afraid of what everybody else would think, scared of the contempt families would show me, so that I kept quiet and didn't go outside?
35 Why won't anyone listen to what I'm saying! I'm signing my name to endorse everything I've said.† Let the Almighty answer me. Let my accuser write down what he is charging me with. 36 I would hold them up high;‡ I would wear them on my head like a crown. 37 I would explain to him everything I'd done; I would hold my head high before him.§
38 If my land has cried out against me; if her furrows have wept over me; 39 if I have taken its crops without payment or if I have caused harm to the farmers; 40 then let thorns grow instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley.”* The words of Job are ended.
* 31:5 Literally, “If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hastened to deceit.” † 31:7 Literally, “If my heart has walked after my eyes.” ‡ 31:9 Literally, “lain in wait at the doorway of my neighbor.” § 31:10 Literally, “grind corn for.” * 31:12 Referring to “Abaddon,” the place of destruction. † 31:15 Literally, “Didn't the one who made me in the womb make him; didn't one fashion us in the womb?” ‡ 31:21 Literally, “because I saw my supporters at the gate.” § 31:27 “Kissing my hand” apparently refers to pagan worship that involved kissing one's hand—rather like today's practice of “blowing kisses.” * 31:28 See Deuteronomy 17 for example, where the death penalty is prescribed for worshiping the sun, moon, and stars. † 31:35 Implied. Literally, “Here is my signature.” ‡ 31:36 Literally, “I would carry them on my shoulder.” § 31:37 Literally, “I would approach him like a prince.” * 31:40 This concluding statement should be taken to refer to Job as a land owner. He is arguing that he has always acted well.