oSee Prov. 6:27-29
alSee Jer. 44:17-19
Job 31
Job’s Final Appeal
1“I have made a covenant with my aeyes;how then could I gaze at a virgin?
2What would be bmy portion from God above
and cmy heritage from the Almighty on high?
3Is not calamity for the unrighteous,
and disaster for the workers of iniquity?
4 dDoes not he see my ways
and enumber all my steps?
5“If I have walked with falsehood
and my foot has hastened to deceit;
6(Let me be fweighed in a just balance,
and let God know my integrity!)
7if my step has turned aside from the way
and gmy heart has gone after my eyes,
and if any hspot has stuck to my hands,
8then let me isow, and another eat,
and let what grows for me ▼
▼Or let my descendants
be rooted out.9“If my heart has been enticed toward a woman,
and I have klain in wait at my neighbor’s door,
10then let my wife lgrind for another,
and let others mbow down on her.
11For that would be a heinous crime;
that would be an iniquity nto be punished by the judges;
12for that would be a fire othat consumes as far as Abaddon,
and it would burn to the root all my increase.
13“If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant,
when they brought a complaint against me,
14what then shall I do when God rises up?
When he pmakes inquiry, what shall I answer him?
15Did qnot he who made me in the womb make him?
And did not one fashion us in the womb?
16“If I have rwithheld anything that the poor desired,
or have scaused 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 ▼
▼Hebrew he
grew up with me as with a father,and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow ▼
▼Hebrew her
), 19if I have seen anyone vperish for wlack of clothing,
or the needy without xcovering,
20if his body has not yblessed me, ▼
▼Hebrew if his loins have not blessed me
and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21if I have raised my hand against aathe fatherless,
because I saw my help in abthe gate,
22then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,
and let my arm be broken from its socket.
23For I was acin terror of calamity from God,
and I could not have faced his admajesty.
24 ae“If I have made gold my aftrust
or called agfine gold my confidence,
25if I have ahrejoiced because my wealth was abundant
or because aimy hand had found much,
26 ajif I have looked at the sun ▼
▼Hebrew the light
when it shone,or althe moon moving in splendor,
27and my heart has been secretly enticed,
and my mouth has kissed my hand,
28this also would be aman iniquity to be punished by the judges,
for I would have been false to God above.
29“If I have anrejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me,
or exulted when evil overtook him
30( aoI 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 apmeat?’
32( aqthe sojourner has not lodged in the street;
I have opened my doors to the traveler),
33if I arhave concealed my transgressions asas others do ▼
▼Or as Adam did
by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
34because I stood in great fear of authe 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 avanswer me!)
Oh, that I had awthe indictment written by my adversary!
36Surely I would carry it on my axshoulder;
I would aybind it on me as aza 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 baif I have eaten its yield without payment
and made its owners bbbreathe their last,
40let bcthorns grow instead of wheat,
and foul weeds instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
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