Moff JOS 1 CHR 2 CHR EZRA NEH EST JOB PSA PROV ECC SNG JER LAM EZE DAN HOS JOEL AMOS OBA YNA MIC NAH HAB ZEP HAG ZEC MAL MAT MARK LUKE YHN ACTs ROM 1 COR 2 COR GAL EPH PHP COL 1 TH 2 TH 1 TIM 2 TIM TIT PHM HEB YAC 1 PET 2 PET 1 YHN 2 YHN 3 YHN YUD REV

JOB C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22 C23 C24 C25 C26 C27 C28 C29 C30 C31 C32 C33 C34 C35 C36 C37 C38 C39 C40 C41

Moff JOB Chapter 31

◄ JOB 31 ► ║ ═ ©

Let God take scales of justice to my life,

and he would own that I am innocent!

If ever I lived a false life,

if ever I took to fraud,

if ever I went wrong,

if my heart ever followed my eyes,

may others eat up what I sow,

and may my crops be rooted up!

I laid an interdict upon my eyes,

never to look with longing on a maiden.

What would I get from the High God for that?

What would the Almighty send on me for that?

What but the suffering that falls to sinners,

the ruin that rewards the vicious?

Does he not see whate’er I do,

and count each step I take?

If ever my heart was enticed by women,

if ever I haunted my neighbour’s door,

may my own wife be a slave to strangers,

a concubine for other men!

Adultery would be an infamous offence,

a crime that calls for punishment;

it is a fire that burns life to a cinder,

it would burn up whatever I possess.

If ever I ignored the rightful claim

of any servant, man or woman,

what could I do when God rose up?

If he took me to task, what could I say?

No, I feared suffering at the hands of God;

I could not do it, in my dread of him.

Did not my Maker make my servant too,

and form us both alike within the womb?

I never grudged a poor man anything,

I never let a widow pine in want;

I never ate my bite of food alone

and did not share it with the fatherless.

For, like a father, God has brought me up,

caring for me since ever I was bom.

If ever I saw any perishing

for lack of clothing, naked in their need,

and did not warm them with my fleeces,

till they blessed me for covering them;

if ever I sued unoffending men,

because I knew the verdict would be mine;

then may my shoulder drop from its socket,

my arm snap from the collarbone!

If ever my land accused me,

if the furrows all complained with tears,

that I paid not for the fields I worked,

or murdered those who owned the land,

may thorns grow up instead of wheat,

foul weeds for barley!

If ever I relied on gold,

or rested everything on solid gold,

if I rejoiced because my wealth was great,

because my hands had gathered riches;

if I looked on the shining sun

or on the moon that moved in splendour,

and let my heart go out to them,

wafting a kiss to them,

that also would be a crime for punishment,

for I should have denied the God on high.

If ever I rejoiced at my foe’s ruin,

or exulted when evil befell him,

or practised the sweet sin of cursing him

and praying for his death;

if my household did not say,

‘Who is not satisfied with his provision?’

(for never a stranger had to sleep in the streets--

I opened my door to the traveller);

if ever I concealed my sin from men,

covering up my guilt,

if ever I kept quiet within doors,

afraid of what the crowd would say,

dreading public opinion--

well, here I enter my own plea of innocence.

Oh for a hearing!

Oh for an answer from the Almighty!

Would that I had his indictment,

whatever my Opponent has against me!

Proud would I be to bear it on my shoulder,

to bind it like a crown upon my head,

entering his presence like a prince,

and telling every detail of my life.”

JOB C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22 C23 C24 C25 C26 C27 C28 C29 C30 C31 C32 C33 C34 C35 C36 C37 C38 C39 C40 C41