1
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"I made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I entertain thoughts against a virgin? |
2
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What then would be one's lot from God above, one's heritage from the Almighty on high? |
3
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Is it not misfortune for the unjust, and disaster for those who work iniquity? |
4
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Does he not see my ways and count all my steps? |
5
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If I have walked in falsehood, and if my foot has hastened to deceit— |
6
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let him weigh me with honest scales; then God will discover my integrity. |
7
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If my footsteps have strayed from the way, if my heart has gone after my eyes, or if anything has defiled my hands, |
8
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then let me sow and let another eat, and let my crops be uprooted. |
9
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If my heart has been enticed by a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door, |
10
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then let my wife turn the millstone for another man, and may other men have sexual relations with her. |
11
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For I would have committed a shameful act, an iniquity to be judged. |
12
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For it is a fire that devours even to Destruction, and it would uproot all my harvest. |
13
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"If I have disregarded the right of my male servants or my female servants when they disputed with me, |
14
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then what will I do when God confronts me in judgment; when he intervenes, how will I respond to him? |
15
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Did not the one who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us in the womb? |
16
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If I have refused to give the poor what they desired, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail, |
17
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If I ate my morsel of bread myself, and did not share any of it with orphans— |
18
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but from my youth I raised the orphan like a father, and from my mother's womb I guided the widow! |
19
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If I have seen anyone about to perish for lack of clothing, or a poor man without a coat, |
20
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whose heart did not bless me as he warmed himself with the fleece of my sheep, |
21
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if I have raised my hand to vote against the orphan, when I saw my support in the court, |
22
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then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let my arm be broken off at the socket. |
23
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For the calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his majesty I was powerless. |
24
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"If I have put my confidence in gold or said to pure gold, 'You are my security!' |
25
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if I have rejoiced because of the extent of my wealth, or because of the great wealth my hand had gained, |
26
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if I looked at the sun when it was shining, and the moon advancing as a precious thing, |
27
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so that my heart was secretly enticed, and my hand threw them a kiss from my mouth, |
28
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then this also would be iniquity to be judged, for I would have been false to God above. |
29
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If I have rejoiced over the misfortune of my enemy or exulted because calamity found him— |
30
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I have not even permitted my mouth to sin by asking for his life through a curse— |
31
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if the members of my household have never said, 'If only there were someone who has not been satisfied from Job's meat!'— |
32
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But no stranger had to spend the night outside, for I opened my doors to the traveler— |
33
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if I have covered my transgressions as men do, by hiding iniquity in my heart, |
34
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because I was terrified of the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I remained silent and would not go outdoors— |
35
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"If only I had someone to hear me! Here is my signature— let the Almighty answer me! If only I had an indictment that my accuser had written. |
36
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Surely I would wear it proudly on my shoulder, I would bind it on me like a crown; |
37
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I would give him an accounting of my steps; like a prince I would approach him. |
38
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"If my land cried out against me and all its furrows wept together, |
39
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if I have eaten its produce without paying, or caused the death of its owners, |
40
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then let thorns sprout up in place of wheat, and in place of barley, weeds!" The words of Job are ended. V. The Speeches of Elihu |
Job 31:1 English Language Bible Words basic statistical display
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