31:1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; How then should I look upon a virgin?
31:2 For what is the portion from God above, And the heritage from the Almighty on high?
31:3 Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, And disaster to the workers of iniquity?
31:4 Doth not he see my ways, And number all my steps?
31:5 If I have walked with falsehood, And my foot hath hasted to deceit
31:6 (Let me be weighed in an even balance, That God may know mine integrity);
31:7 If my step hath turned out of the way, And my heart walked after mine eyes, And if any spot hath cleaved to my hands:
31:8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; Yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out.
31:9 If my heart hath been enticed unto a woman, And I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door;
31:10 Then let my wife grind unto another, And let others bow down upon her.
31:11 For that were a heinous crime; Yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges:
31:12 For it is a fire that consumeth unto Destruction, And would root out all mine increase.
31:13 If I have despised the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant, When they contended with me;
31:14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? And when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
31:15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?
31:16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
31:17 Or have eaten my morsel alone, And the fatherless hath not eaten thereof
31:18 (Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, And her have I guided from my mother’s womb);
31:19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, Or that the needy had no covering;
31:20 If his loins have not blessed me, And if he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
31:21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, Because I saw my help in the gate:
31:22 Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, And mine arm be broken from the bone.
31:23 For calamity from God is a terror to me, And by reason of his majesty I can do nothing.
31:24 If I have made gold my hope, And have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;
31:25 If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gotten much;
31:26 If I have beheld the sun when it shined, Or the moon walking in brightness,
31:27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, And my mouth hath kissed my hand:
31:28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; For I should have denied the God that is above.
31:29 If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, Or lifted up myself when evil found him
31:30 (Yea, I have not suffered by mouth to sin By asking his life with a curse);
31:31 If the men of my tent have not said, Who can find one that hath not been filled with his meat?
31:32 (The sojourner hath not lodged in the street; But I have opened my doors to the traveller);
31:33 If like Adam I have covered my transgressions, By hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,
31:34 Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence, and went not out of the door—
31:35 Oh that I had one to hear me! (Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me) And that I had the indictment which mine adversary hath written!
31:36 Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown:
31:37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; As a prince would I go near unto him.
31:38 If my land crieth out against me, And the furrows thereof weep together;
31:39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, Or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:
31:40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, And cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
32:1 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
32:2 Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.
32:3 Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.
32:4 Now Elihu had waited to speak unto Job, because they were elder than he.
32:5 And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was kindled.
32:6 And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; Wherefore I held back, and durst not show you mine opinion.
32:7 I said, Days should speak, And multitude of years should teach wisdom.
32:8 But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
32:9 It is not the great that are wise, Nor the aged that understand justice.
32:10 Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will show mine opinion.
32:11 Behold, I waited for your words, I listened for your reasonings, Whilst ye searched out what to say.
32:12 Yea, I attended unto you, And, behold, there was none that convinced Job, Or that answered his words, among you.
32:13 Beware lest ye say, We have found wisdom; God may vanquish him, not man:
32:14 For he hath not directed his words against me; Neither will I answer him with your speeches.
32:15 They are amazed, they answer no more: They have not a word to say.
32:16 And shall I wait, because they speak not, Because they stand still, and answer no more?
32:17 I also will answer my part, I also will show mine opinion.
32:18 For I am full of words; The spirit within me constraineth me.
32:19 Behold, my breast is as wine which hath no vent; Like new wine-skins it is ready to burst.
32:20 I will speak, that I may be refreshed; I will open my lips and answer.
32:21 Let me not, I pray you, respect any man’s person; Neither will I give flattering titles unto any man.
32:22 For I know not to give flattering titles; Else would my Maker soon take me away.