The Holy Bible
« Chapter 30 «--- Job ---» Chapter 32»
Job 31 : 1 - 40
Chapter 31
1 | "I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?
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2 | For what is the allotment of God from above, And the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
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3 | Is it not destruction for the wicked, And disaster for the workers of iniquity?
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4 | Does He not see my ways, And count all my steps?
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5 | "If I have walked with falsehood, Or if my foot has hastened to deceit,
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6 | Let me be weighed on honest scales, That God may know my integrity.
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7 | If my step has turned from the way, Or my heart walked after my eyes, Or if any spot adheres to my hands,
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8 | Then let me sow, and another eat; Yes, let my harvest be rooted out.
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9 | "If my heart has been enticed by a woman, Or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door,
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10 | Then let my wife grind for another, And let others bow down over her.
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11 | For that would be wickedness; Yes, it would be iniquity deserving of judgment.
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12 | For that would be a fire that consumes to destruction, And would root out all my increase.
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13 | "If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant When they complained against me,
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14 | What then shall I do when God rises up? When He punishes, how shall I answer Him?
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15 | Did not He who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?
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16 | "If I have kept the poor from their desire, Or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
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17 | Or eaten my morsel by myself, So that the fatherless could not eat of it
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18 | (But from my youth I reared him as a father, And from my mother's womb I guided the widow );
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19 | If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, Or any poor man without covering;
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20 | If his heart has not blessed me, And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
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21 | If I have raised my hand against the fatherless, When I saw I had help in the gate;
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22 | Then let my arm fall from my shoulder, Let my arm be torn from the socket.
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23 | For destruction from God is a terror to me, And because of His magnificence I cannot endure.
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24 | "If I have made gold my hope, Or said to fine gold, "You are my confidence';
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25 | If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gained much;
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26 | If I have observed the sun when it shines, Or the moon moving in brightness,
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27 | So that my heart has been secretly enticed, And my mouth has kissed my hand;
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28 | This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment, For I would have denied God who is above.
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29 | "If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, Or lifted myself up when evil found him
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30 | (Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking for a curse on his soul);
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31 | If the men of my tent have not said, "Who is there that has not been satisfied with his meat?'
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32 | (But no sojourner had to lodge in the street, For I have opened my doors to the traveler );
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33 | If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
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34 | Because I feared the great multitude, And dreaded the contempt of families, So that I kept silence And did not go out of the door--
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35 | Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my mark. Oh, that the Almighty would answer me, That my Prosecutor had written a book!
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36 | Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, And bind it on me like a crown;
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37 | I would declare to Him the number of my steps; Like a prince I would approach Him.
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38 | "If my land cries out against me, And its furrows weep together;
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39 | If I have eaten its fruit without money, Or caused its owners to lose their lives;
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40 | Then let thistles grow instead of wheat, And weeds instead of barley." The words of Job are ended.
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Acknowledgement
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