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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Job 31 New American Bible</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/job/31.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div 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cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../job/30.htm" title="Job 30">◄</a> Job 31 <a href="../job/32.htm" title="Job 32">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New American Bible Revised Edition</td><td width="1%" valign="top"></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><section id="ch22031" class="chapter"> <h1 id="cn22031" class="cn"></h1> <div class="senseline"> <p class="slf"><span id="v22031001" class="ver">1</span>I made a covenant with my eyes</p> <p class="sl1">not to gaze upon a virgin.</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031002" class="ver">2</span>What portion comes from God above,</p> <p class="sl1">what heritage from the Almighty on high?</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031003" class="ver">3</span>Is it not calamity for the unrighteous,</p> <p class="sl1">and woe for evildoers?</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031004" class="ver">4</span>Does he not see my ways,</p> <p class="sl1">and number all my steps?<a id="ren22031004-a" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en22031004-a">a</a></p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031005" class="ver">5</span>If I have walked in falsehood<a id="rfn22031005-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn22031005-1">*</a></p> <p class="sl1">and my foot has hastened to deceit,</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031006" class="ver">6</span>Let God weigh me in the scales of justice;</p> <p class="sl1">thus will he know my innocence!<a id="ren22031006-b" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en22031006-b">b</a></p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031007" class="ver">7</span>If my steps have turned out of the way,</p> <p class="sl1">and my heart has followed my eyes,</p> <p class="sl1">or any stain clings to my hands,</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031008" class="ver">8</span>Then may I sow, but another eat,</p> <p class="sl1">and may my produce be rooted up!</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031009" class="ver">9</span>If my heart has been enticed toward a woman,</p> <p class="sl1">and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door;</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031010" class="ver">10</span>Then may my wife grind for another,</p> <p class="sl1">and may others kneel over her!</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031011" class="ver">11</span>For that would be heinous,</p> <p class="sl1">a crime to be condemned,<a id="ren22031011-c" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en22031011-c">c</a></p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031012" class="ver">12</span>A fire that would consume down to Abaddon<a id="rfn22031012-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn22031012-1">*</a></p> <p class="sl1">till it uprooted all my crops.<a id="ren22031012-d" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en22031012-d">d</a></p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031013" class="ver">13</span>Had I refused justice to my manservant</p> <p class="sl1">or to my maidservant, when they had a complaint against me,</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031014" class="ver">14</span>What then should I do when God rises up?</p> <p class="sl1">What could I answer when he demands an account?</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031015" class="ver">15</span>Did not he who made me in the belly make him?</p> <p class="sl1">Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031016" class="ver">16</span>If I have denied anything that the poor desired,<a id="ren22031016-e" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en22031016-e">e</a></p> <p class="sl1">or allowed the eyes of the widow to languish</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031017" class="ver">17</span>While I ate my portion alone,</p> <p class="sl1">with no share in it for the fatherless,</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031018" class="ver">18</span>Though like a father he<a id="rfn22031018-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn22031018-1">*</a> has reared me from my youth,</p> <p class="sl1">guiding me even from my mother’s womb—</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031019" class="ver">19</span>If I have seen a wanderer without clothing,</p> <p class="sl1">or a poor man without covering,</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031020" class="ver">20</span>Whose limbs have not blessed me</p> <p class="sl1">when warmed with the fleece of my sheep;</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031021" class="ver">21</span>If I have raised my hand against the innocent</p> <p class="sl1">because I saw that I had supporters at the gate—<a id="rfn22031021-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn22031021-1">*</a></p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031022" class="ver">22</span>Then may my arm fall from the shoulder,</p> <p class="sl1">my forearm be broken at the elbow!</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031023" class="ver">23</span>For I dread calamity from God,</p> <p class="sl1">and his majesty will overpower me.</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031024" class="ver">24</span>Had I put my trust in gold</p> <p class="sl1">or called fine gold my security;</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031025" class="ver">25</span>Or had I rejoiced that my wealth was great,</p> <p class="sl1">or that my hand had acquired abundance—</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031026" class="ver">26</span>Had I looked upon the light<a id="rfn22031026-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn22031026-1">*</a> as it shone,<a id="ren22031026-f" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en22031026-f">f</a></p> <p class="sl1">or the moon in the splendor of its progress,</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031027" class="ver">27</span>And had my heart been secretly enticed</p> <p class="sl1">to blow them a kiss with my hand,</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031028" class="ver">28</span>This too would be a crime for condemnation,</p> <p class="sl1">for I should have denied God above.<a id="ren22031028-g" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en22031028-g">g</a></p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031029" class="ver">29</span>Had I rejoiced at the destruction of my enemy</p> <p class="sl1">or exulted when evil came upon him,<a id="ren22031029-h" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en22031029-h">h</a></p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031030" class="ver">30</span>Even though I had not allowed my mouth to sin</p> <p class="sl1">by invoking a curse against his life—</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031031" class="ver">31</span>Had not the men of my tent exclaimed,</p> <p class="sl1">“Who has not been filled with his meat!”<a id="rfn22031031-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn22031031-1">*</a></p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031032" class="ver">32</span>No stranger lodged in the street,</p> <p class="sl1">for I opened my door to wayfarers—</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031033" class="ver">33</span><a id="rfn22031033-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn22031033-1">*</a> Had I, all too human, hidden my sins</p> <p class="sl1">and buried my guilt in my bosom</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031034" class="ver">34</span>Because I feared the great multitude</p> <p class="sl1">and the scorn of the clans terrified me—</p> <p class="sl1">then I should have remained silent, and not come out of doors!</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031035" class="ver">35</span><a id="rfn22031035-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn22031035-1">*</a> Oh, that I had one to hear my case:</p> <p class="sl1">here is my signature:<a id="rfn22031035-2" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn22031035-2">*</a> let the Almighty answer me!</p> <p class="sl">Let my accuser write out his indictment!<a id="ren22031035-i" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en22031035-i">i</a></p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031036" class="ver">36</span>Surely, I should wear it on my shoulder<a id="rfn22031036-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn22031036-1">*</a></p> <p class="sl1">or put it on me like a diadem;</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031037" class="ver">37</span>Of all my steps I should give him an account;</p> <p class="sl1">like a prince<a id="rfn22031037-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn22031037-1">*</a> I should present myself before him.</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031038" class="ver">38</span>If my land has cried out against me</p> <p class="sl1">till its furrows wept together;</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031039" class="ver">39</span>If I have eaten its strength without payment</p> <p class="sl1">and grieved the hearts of its tenants;</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v22031040" class="ver">40</span>Then let the thorns grow instead of wheat</p> <p class="sl1l">and stinkweed instead of barley!</p> </div> <p>The words of Job are ended.</p> </section> <br /><h1 class="cn"><a class="xref" href="intro.htm"><span class="ac">Book Introduction</span></a></h1><h1 class="cn"><a class="xref" href="footnotes.htm"><span class="ac">Footnotes</span></a></h1></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the <i>New American Bible, revised edition</i> © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. 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