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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" /><title>Job 31 NET 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 id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/job/31-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NET Bible</a> > Job 31</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" 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">NET Bible</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/net/esv/job/31.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="title">Job Vindicates Himself</p><p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>“I made a covenant with my eyes;</p><p class="poetry2">how then could I entertain thoughts against a virgin?</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>What then would be one’s lot from God above,</p><p class="poetry2">one’s heritage from the Almighty on high?</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Is it not misfortune for the unjust,</p><p class="poetry2">and disaster for those who work iniquity?</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Does he not see my ways</p><p class="poetry2">and count all my steps?</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>If I have walked in falsehood,</p><p class="poetry2">and if my foot has hastened to deceit –</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>let him weigh me with honest scales;</p><p class="poetry2">then God will discover my integrity.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>If my footsteps have strayed from the way,</p><p class="poetry2">if my heart has gone after my eyes,</p><p class="poetry2">or if anything has defiled my hands,</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>then let me sow and let another eat,</p><p class="poetry2">and let my crops be uprooted.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>If my heart has been enticed by a woman,</p><p class="poetry2">and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door,</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>then let my wife turn the millstone for another man,</p><p class="poetry2">and may other men have sexual relations with her.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>For I would have committed a shameful act,</p><p class="poetry2">an iniquity to be judged.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>For it is a fire that devours even to Destruction,</p><p class="poetry2">and it would uproot all my harvest.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>“If I have disregarded the right of my male servants</p><p class="poetry2">or my female servants</p><p class="poetry2">when they disputed with me,</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>then what will I do when God confronts me in judgment;</p><p class="poetry2">when he intervenes,</p><p class="poetry2">how will I respond to him?</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Did not the one who made me in the womb make them?</p><p class="poetry2">Did not the same one form us in the womb?</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>If I have refused to give the poor what they desired,</p><p class="poetry2">or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>If I ate my morsel of bread myself,</p><p class="poetry2">and did not share any of it with orphans –</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>but from my youth I raised the orphan like a father,</p><p class="poetry2">and from my mother’s womb</p><p class="poetry2">I guided the widow!</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>If I have seen anyone about to perish for lack of clothing,</p><p class="poetry2">or a poor man without a coat,</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>whose heart did not bless me</p><p class="poetry2">as he warmed himself with the fleece of my sheep,</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>if I have raised my hand to vote against the orphan,</p><p class="poetry2">when I saw my support in the court,</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>then let my arm fall from the shoulder,</p><p class="poetry2">let my arm be broken off at the socket.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>For the calamity from God was a terror to me,</p><p class="poetry2">and by reason of his majesty I was powerless.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>“If I have put my confidence in gold</p><p class="poetry2">or said to pure gold,</p><p class="poetry2">‘You are my security!’</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>if I have rejoiced because of the extent of my wealth,</p><p class="poetry2">or because of the great wealth my hand had gained,</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>if I looked at the sun when it was shining,</p><p class="poetry2">and the moon advancing as a precious thing,</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>so that my heart was secretly enticed,</p><p class="poetry2">and my hand threw them a kiss from my mouth,</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>then this also would be iniquity to be judged,</p><p class="poetry2">for I would have been false to God above.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>If I have rejoiced over the misfortune of my enemy</p><p class="poetry2">or exulted because calamity found him –</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>I have not even permitted my mouth to sin</p><p class="poetry2">by asking for his life through a curse –</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>if the members of my household have never said,</p><p class="poetry2">‘If only there were someone</p><p class="poetry2">who has not been satisfied from Job’s meat!’ –</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>But no stranger had to spend the night outside,</p><p class="poetry2">for I opened my doors to the traveler –</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>if I have covered my transgressions as men do,</p><p class="poetry2">by hiding iniquity in my heart,</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>because I was terrified of the great multitude,</p><p class="poetry2">and the contempt of families terrified me,</p><p class="poetry2">so that I remained silent</p><p class="poetry2">and would not go outdoors – </p> <p class="title">Job’s Appeal</p><p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>“If only I had someone to hear me!</p><p class="poetry2">Here is my signature – </p><p class="poetry2">let the Almighty answer me!</p><p class="poetry2">If only I had an indictment</p><p class="poetry2">that my accuser had written.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>Surely I would wear it proudly on my shoulder,</p><p class="poetry2">I would bind it on me like a crown;</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span>I would give him an accounting of my steps;</p><p class="poetry2">like a prince I would approach him.</p> <p class="title">Job’s Final Solemn Oath</p><p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-38.htm"><b>38</b></a></span>“If my land cried out against me</p><p class="poetry2">and all its furrows wept together,</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-39.htm"><b>39</b></a></span>if I have eaten its produce without paying,</p><p class="poetry2">or caused the death of its owners,</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/job/31-40.htm"><b>40</b></a></span>then let thorns sprout up in place of wheat,</p><p class="poetry2">and in place of barley, weeds!”</p><p class="bodytext">The words of Job are ended.</p></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><a href="http://netbible.com/">NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com.<br />Used by permission. 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