Job 31 Parallel Bible Translations

Job 31 ▼
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1 “I have made a covenant (agreement) with my eyes; How then could I gaze [lustfully] at a virgin? “I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin? “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman.
2 “For what is the portion I would have from God above, And what heritage from the Almighty on high? What would be my portion from God above and my heritage from the Almighty on high? For what is our lot from God above, our heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 “Does not tragedy fall [justly] on the unjust And disaster to those who work wickedness? Is not calamity for the unrighteous, and disaster for the workers of iniquity? Is it not ruin for the wicked, disaster for those who do wrong?
4 “Does not God see my ways And count all my steps? Does not he see my ways and number all my steps? Does he not see my ways and count my every step?
5 “If I have walked with falsehood, Or if my foot has chased after deceit, “If I have walked with falsehood and my foot has hastened to deceit; “If I have walked with falsehood or my foot has hurried after deceit—
6 Oh, let Him weigh me with accurate scales, And let God know my integrity. (Let me be weighed in a just balance, and let God know my integrity!) let God weigh me in honest scales and he will know that I am blameless—
7 “If my step has turned away from the way [of God], Or if my heart has [covetously] followed my eyes, Or if any spot [of guilt] has stained my hands, if my step has turned aside from the way and my heart has gone after my eyes, and if any spot has stuck to my hands, if my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has been led by my eyes, or if my hands have been defiled,
8 Then let me plant and [let] another eat [from the results of my labor], And let my crops be uprooted and ruined. then let me sow, and another eat, and let what grows for me be rooted out. then may others eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.
9 “If my heart has been enticed and I was made a fool by a woman, Or if I have [covetously] lurked at my neighbor’s door [until his departure], “If my heart has been enticed toward a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door, “If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,
10 Let my wife grind [meal, like a bond slave] for another [man], And let others kneel down over her. then let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down on her. then may my wife grind another man’s grain, and may other men sleep with her.
11 “For adultery is a heinous and lustful crime; Moreover, it would be a sin punishable by the judges. For that would be a heinous crime; that would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges; For that would have been wicked, a sin to be judged.
12 “For it is a fire which consumes to Abaddon (destruction, ruin, final torment); And [illicit passion] would burn and rage and uproot all my [life’s] increase [destroying everything]. for that would be a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn to the root all my increase. It is a fire that burns to Destruction; it would have uprooted my harvest.
13 “If I have despised and rejected the claim of my male or female servants When they filed a complaint against me, “If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant, when they brought a complaint against me, “If I have denied justice to any of my servants, whether male or female, when they had a grievance against me,
14 What then could I do when God arises [to judge me]? When He calls me to account, what will I answer Him? what then shall I do when God rises up? When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him? what will I do when God confronts me? What will I answer when called to account?
15 “Did not He who made me in the womb make my servant, And did not the same One fashion us both in the womb? Did not he who made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb? Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?
16 “If I have withheld from the poor what they desired, Or have caused the eyes of the widow to look in vain [for relief], “If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, “If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary,
17 Or have eaten my morsel [of food] alone, And did not share it with the orphan or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it if I have kept my bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless—
18 (But from my youth the orphan grew up with me as with a father, And from my mother’s womb I have been the widow’s guide), (for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow), but from my youth I reared them as a father would, and from my birth I guided the widow—
19 If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, Or any poor person without covering, if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or the needy without covering, if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or the needy without garments,
20 If his loins have not thanked and blessed me [for clothing them], And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep, if his body has not blessed me, and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep, and their hearts did not bless me for warming them with the fleece from my sheep,
21 If I have lifted my hand against the orphan, Because I saw [that the judges would be] my help at the [council] gate, if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate, if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, knowing that I had influence in court,
22 Then let my shoulder fall away from its socket, And my arm be broken off at the elbow. then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder, and let my arm be broken from its socket. then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let it be broken off at the joint.
23 “For tragedy from God is a terror to me, And because of His majesty and exaltation I can do nothing [nor endure facing Him]. For I was in terror of calamity from God, and I could not have faced his majesty. For I dreaded destruction from God, and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things.
24 “If I have put my trust and confidence in gold, Or have declared fine gold my hope and assurance, “If I have made gold my trust or called fine gold my confidence, “If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’
25 If I gloated and rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my [powerful] hand [alone] had obtained so much, if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant or because my hand had found much, if I have rejoiced over my great wealth, the fortune my hands had gained,
26 If I beheld the sun [as an object of worship] when it shone Or the moon going in its splendor, if I have looked at the sun when it shone, or the moon moving in splendor, if I have regarded the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor,
27 And my heart became secretly enticed [by them], And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth [in respect to them], and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand, so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,
28 This also would have been [a heinous] sin calling for judgment, For I would have denied God above. this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have been false to God above. then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.
29 “Have I rejoiced at the destruction of the enemy [who hated me], Or exulted [in malicious triumph] when evil overtook him? “If I have rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me, or exulted when evil overtook him “If I have rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortune or gloated over the trouble that came to him—
30 “No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin By cursing my enemy and asking for his life. (I have not let my mouth sin by asking for his life with a curse), I have not allowed my mouth to sin by invoking a curse against their life—
31 “I assure you, the men of my tent have said, ‘Who can find one [in need] who has not been satisfied with his meat’? if the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who is there that has not been filled with his meat?’ if those of my household have never said, ‘Who has not been filled with Job’s meat?’—
32 “The stranger has not lodged in the street, Because I have opened my door to the traveler. (the sojourner has not lodged in the street; I have opened my doors to the traveler), but no stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveler—
33 “Have I concealed my transgressions like Adam or like other men, By hiding my wickedness in my bosom, if I have concealed my transgressions as others do by hiding my iniquity in my heart, if I have concealed my sin as people do, by hiding my guilt in my heart
34 Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence and did not acknowledge my sin and did not go out of the door? because 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— because 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 one to listen to me! Look, here is my signature (mark); Let the Almighty answer me! Let my adversary write out His indictment [and put His vague accusations in tangible form]. Oh, 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! (“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.
36 “Surely I would [proudly] bear it on my shoulder, And bind the scroll around my head like a crown. Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; I would bind it on me as a crown; Surely I would wear it on my shoulder, I would put it on like a crown.
37 “I would count out to Him the number of my steps [with every detail of my life], Approaching His presence as if I were a prince. I would give him an account of all my steps; like a prince I would approach him. I would give him an account of my every step; I would present it to him as to a ruler.)—
38 “For if my land has cried out against me, And its furrows weep together; “If my land has cried out against me and its furrows have wept together, “if my land cries out against me and all its furrows are wet with tears,
39 If I have eaten its fruits without paying for them, Or have caused its [rightful] owners to lose their lives, if I have eaten its yield without payment and made its owners breathe their last, if I have devoured its yield without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants,
40 Let thorns grow instead of wheat, And stinkweed and cockleburs instead of barley.” So the words of Job [with his friends] are finished. let thorns grow instead of wheat, and foul weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended. then let briers come up instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
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