Job 31 Parallel Bible Translations

Job 31 ▼
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1 I MADE a vow with my eyes that I would never lust after 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 portion would I have then from God who is above, and what heritage from the Almighty who is 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 For it is destruction to the wicked, and punishment to the workers of iniquity. 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 He sees my ways, and counts 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 hypocrites, or if my foot hastened to 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 Let me be weighed in a just balance, that God may 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 I have not turned aside my steps from the way, and my heart has not followed after my eyes, and I have acquired nothing unjustly; 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 But when I sowed, then I ate, and when I planted, then I cultivated and gathered the crops. 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 And if my heart has been enticed by a strange woman, or if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door; “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 Then let my wife grind for another, and let her bake bread at another man's place, 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 this is a heinous crime; yea, such an eye devises a crafty scheme. 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 passion is a fire that consumes to destruction, and it would root out all my increase. 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 rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant, when he contended with 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 Without saying, What then shall I do when God rises up in judgment, and when he inquires, what shall 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 (For, behold, he who made me in the womb made him, and he created us in the same 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 the poor from his desire, or have defrauded the widow, “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 bread alone, and the orphans did not eat of it 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 (Because from my youth I was brought up in sorrows, and from my mother's womb with sighing); (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 perishing for want of clothing, or any poor 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 (But they were reared upon my knees, and were 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 up my hand against the fatherless (when I saw him at the door I helped him); 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 arm fall from my shoulder blade, and let it be broken from the bone. 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 the fear of God made me to tremble, and affliction from him came upon me, and because of terror I was unable to rise up. 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 made gold my trust, or said about the precious stones, You are my confidence; or have said about fine gold, You are my hope; “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 have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten 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 have adored the sun when it shone, or the moon when in full brightness; 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 if my heart has been secretly enticed, if I have consented to wrongdoings; 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 Then God has seen my crafty ways, and I have lied before him. 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 If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or exulted myself when misfortune befell 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 (But I have neither suffered my mouth to sin, nor has my soul wished for any of these things; (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 My friends said, Oh this man would give us even of his own flesh! but we are not satisfied, 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 And the stranger I did not let lodge in the street, and I opened my door to the guest); (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 If I have covered up my sins like some men, or if I have hid my guilt in secret places; 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 If I have trampled upon the rights of the others (but on the contrary, it is the multitude of families which has ruined me. Nor have I turned away anyone at the door; or engaged in gossip) let the provocations of God lay me low! 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 O that one would hear me! If God is present, let him answer me, and let him write the sentence in a book. 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 take it upon my shoulder, and make it a crown to me. 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 declare to him the number of my steps; as a prince I would go near to him. 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 Let the earth lament over me, let 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 money; or if I have grieved one whose life is bitter, 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 Then let thistles grow instead of wheat and thorns instead of barley. The words of Job are ended. 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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