Job · Brenton's Greek Septuagint
Job 31 Brenton's Greek Septuagint
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Ezra and Nehemiah form one book (2 Esdras) in this edition; the reader shows them as Ezra 1–10 and Nehemiah 1–13.
1 Διαθήκην ἐθέμην τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς μου, καὶ οὐ συνήσω ἐπὶ παρθένον.
1 “I made a covenant with my eyes; how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?
2 Καὶ τί ἐμέρισεν ὁ Θεὸς ἄνωθεν, καὶ κληρονομία ἱκανοῦ ἐξ ὑψίστων;
2 For what is the portion from God above, and the heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 Οὐαί, ἀπώλεια τῷ ἀδίκῳ, καὶ ἀπαλλοτρίωσις τοῖς ποιοῦσιν ἀνομίαν.
3 Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?
4 Οὐχὶ αὐτὸς ὄψεται ὁδόν μου, καὶ πάντα τὰ διαβήματά μου ἐξαριθμήσεται;
4 Doesn’t he see my ways, and count all my steps?
5 Εἰ δὲ ἤμην πεπορευμένος μετὰ γελοιαστῶν, εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐσπούδασεν ὁ πούς μου εἰς δόλον·
5 “If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit
6 Ἕσταμαι γὰρ ἐν ζυγῷ δικαίῳ, οἶδε δὲ ὁ Κύριος τὴν ἀκακίαν μου·
6 (let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity);
7 Εἰ ἐξέκλινεν ὁ πούς μου ἐκ τῆς ὁδοῦ, εἰ δὲ καὶ τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ ἐπηκολούθησεν ἡ καρδία μου, εἰ δὲ καὶ ταῖς χερσί μου ἡψάμην δώρων,
7 if my step has turned out of the way, if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to my hands,
8 σπείραιμι ἄρα καὶ ἄλλοι φάγοισαν, ἄῤῥιζος δὲ γενοίμην ἐπὶ γῆς.
8 then let me sow, and let another eat. Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.
9 Εἰ ἐξηκολούθησεν ἡ καρδία μου γυναικὶ ἀνδρὸς ἑτέρου, εἰ καὶ ἐγκάθετος ἐγενόμην ἐπὶ θύραις αὐτῆς,
9 “If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door,
10 ἀρέσαι ἄρα καὶ ἡ γυνή μου ἑτέρῳ, τὰ δὲ νήπιά μου ταπεινωθείη.
10 then let my wife grind for another, and let others sleep with her.
11 Θυμὸς γὰρ ὀργῆς ἀκατάσχετος, τὸ μιᾶναι ἀνδρὸς γυναῖκα.
11 For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
12 Πῦρ γάρ ἐστι καιόμενον ἐπὶ πάντων τῶν μερῶν, οὗδʼ ἂν ἐπέλθῃ ἐκ ῥιζῶν ἀπώλεσεν.
12 for it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase.
13 Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐφαύλισα κρίμα θεράποντός μου ἢ θεραπαίνης, κρινομένων αὐτῶν πρὸς μὲ,
13 “If I have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, when they contended with me,
14 τί γὰρ ποιήσω ἐὰν ἔτασίν μου ποιῆται ὁ Κύριος; ἐὰν δὲ καὶ ἐπισκοπήν τινα, ἀπόκρισιν ποιήσομαι;
14 what then will I do when God rises up? When he visits, what will I answer him?
15 Πότερον οὐχ ὡς καὶ ἐγὼ ἐγενόμην ἐν γαστρὶ, καὶ ἐκεῖνοι γεγόνασι; γεγόναμεν δὲ ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ κοιλίᾳ.
15 Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him? Didn’t one fashion us in the womb?
16 Ἀδύνατοι δὲ χρείαν ἥν ποτε εἶχον οὐκ ἀπέτυχον, χήρας δὲ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν οὐκ ἐξέτηξα·
16 “If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17 Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὸν ψωμόν μου ἔφαγον μόνος, καὶ οὐχὶ ὀρφανῷ μετέδωκα·
17 or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it
18 Ὅτι ἐκ νεότητός μου ἐξέτρεφον ὡς πατὴρ, καὶ ἐκ γαστρὸς μητρός μου ὡδήγησα·
18 (no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, I have guided her from my mother’s womb);
19 Εἰ δὲ καὶ ὑπερεῖδον γυμνὸν ἀπολλύμενον, καὶ οὐκ ἠμφίασα αὐτόν·
19 if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;
20 Ἀδύνατοι δὲ εἰ μὴ εὐλόγησάν με, ἀπὸ δὲ κουρᾶς ἀμνῶν μοῦ ἐθερμάνθησαν οἱ ὦμοι αὐτῶν·
20 if his heart hasn’t blessed me, if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece;
21 Εἰ ἐπῆρα ὀρφανῷ χεῖρα, πεποιθὼς ὅτι πολλή μοι βοήθεια περίεστιν·
21 if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate;
22 Ἀποσταίη ἄρα ὁ ὦμός μου ἀπὸ τῆς κλειδός, ὁ δὲ βραχίων μου ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀγκῶνος συντριβείη.
22 then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.
23 Φόβος γὰρ Κυρίου συνέσχε με, ἀπὸ τοῦ λήμματος αὐτοῦ οὐχ ὑποίσω.
23 For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because of his majesty, I can do nothing.
24 Εἰ ἔταξα χρυσίον εἰς χοῦν μου, εἰ δὲ καὶ λίθῳ πολυτελεῖ ἐπεποίθησα,
24 “If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence;’
25 εἰ δὲ καὶ εὐφράνθην πολλοῦ πλούτου μου γενομένου, εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐπʼ ἀναριθμήτοις ἐθέμην χεῖρά μου·
25 If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;
26 Ἢ οὐχ ὁρῶμεν ἥλιον τὸν ἐπιθαύσκοντα ἐκλείποντα, σελήνην δὲ φθίνουσαν; οὐ γὰρ ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς ἐστί·
26 if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor,
27 Καὶ εἰ ἠπατήθη λάθρα ἡ καρδία μου, εἰ δὲ χεῖρά μου ἐπιθεὶς ἐπὶ στόματί μου ἐφίλησα.
27 and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth;
28 Καὶ τοῦτό μοι ἄρα ἀνομία ἡ μεγίστη λογισθείη, ὅτι ἐψευσάμην ἐναντίον Κυρίου τοῦ ὑψίστου.
28 this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have denied the God who is above.
29 Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐπιχαρὴς ἐγενόμην πτώματι ἐχθρῶν μου, καὶ εἶπεν ἡ καρδία μου, εὖγε.
29 “If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him
30 Ἀκούσαι ἄρα τὸ οὖς μου τὴν κατάραν μου, θρυληθείην δὲ ἄρα ὑπὸ λαοῦ μου κακούμενος.
30 (I have certainly not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse);
31 Εἰ δὲ καὶ πολλάκις εἶπον αἱ θεράπαιναί μου, τίς ἄν δῴη ἡμῖν τῶν σαρκῶν αὐτοῦ πλησθῆναι; λίαν μου χρηστοῦ ὄντος·
31 if the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’
32 Ἔξω δὲ οὐκ ηὐλίζετο ξένος, ἡ δὲ θύρα μου παντὶ ἐλθόντι ἀνέῳκτο·
32 (the foreigner has not camped in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler);
33 Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἁμαρτὼν ἀκουσίως ἔκρυψα τὴν ἁμαρτίαν μου·
33 if like Adam I have covered my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
34 Οὐ γὰρ διετράπην πολυοχλίαν πλήθους, τοῦ μὴ ἐξαγορεῦσαι ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν· εἰ δὲ καὶ εἴασα ἀδύνατον ἐξελθεῖν θύραν μου κόλπῳ κενῷ·
34 because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and didn’t go out of the door—
35 Τίς δῴη ἀκούοντά μου; χεῖρα δὲ Κυρίου εἰ μὴ ἐδεδοίκειν· συγγραφὴν δὲ ἣν εἶχον κατά τινος,
35 oh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me! Let the accuser write my indictment!
36 ἐπʼ ὤμοις ἂν περιθέμενος στέφανον ἀνεγίνωσκον,
36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, and I would bind it to me as a crown.
37 καὶ εἰ μὴ ῥῆξας αὐτὴν ἀπέδωκα, οὐθὲν λαβὼν παρὰ χρεωφειλέτου·
37 I would declare to him the number of my steps. I would go near to him like a prince.
38 Εἰ ἐπʼ ἐμοί ποτε ἡ γῆ ἐστέναξεν, εἰ δὲ καὶ οἱ αὔλακες αὐτῆς ἔκλαυσαν ὁμοθυμαδόν·
38 If my land cries out against me, and its furrows weep together;
39 Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτῆς ἔφαγον μόνος ἄνευ τιμῆς, εἰ δὲ καὶ ψυχὴν κυρίου τῆς γῆς ἐκλαβὼν ἐλύπησα·
39 if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life,
40 Ἀντὶ πυροῦ ἄρα ἐξέλθοι μοι κνίδη, ἀντὶ δὲ κριθῆς βάτος. Καὶ ἐπαύσατο Ἰὼβ ῥήμασιν.
40 let briers grow instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
Cross references (39)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 James 1:14–15; Matthew 5:28–29; Psalm 119:37; 1 John 2:16; Proverbs 6:25
- 2 Job 20:29; Job 27:13; Hebrews 13:4
- 3 Job 21:30; Job 34:22; Matthew 7:13; Isaiah 28:21; Psalm 55:23
- 4 Job 34:21; Proverbs 5:21; 2 Chronicles 16:9; Job 14:16; Proverbs 15:3
- 5 Psalm 44:20–21; Proverbs 12:11; Psalm 12:2; Jeremiah 2:5; Ezekiel 13:8
- 6 Psalm 7:8–9; Daniel 5:27; 1 Samuel 2:3; Matthew 7:23; Isaiah 26:7
- 7 Numbers 15:39; Ecclesiastes 11:9; Matthew 5:29; Job 23:11; Psalm 44:20–21
- 8 Leviticus 26:16; Micah 6:15; Deuteronomy 28:38; Judges 6:3–6; Job 18:19
- 9 1 Kings 11:4; Judges 16:5; Ecclesiastes 7:26; Proverbs 2:16–19; Jeremiah 5:8
- 10 Jeremiah 8:10; Deuteronomy 28:30; 2 Samuel 12:11; Isaiah 47:2; Exodus 11:5
- 11 Leviticus 20:10; Job 31:28; Deuteronomy 22:22–24; Genesis 38:24; Ezekiel 16:38
- 12 Proverbs 6:27; Jeremiah 5:7–9; Hebrews 13:4; Job 26:6; Job 20:28
- 13 Leviticus 25:43; Deuteronomy 24:14–15; Exodus 21:20–21; Jeremiah 34:14–17; Leviticus 25:46
- 14 James 2:13; Psalm 44:21; Psalm 9:12; Zechariah 2:13; Psalm 10:12–15
- 15 Proverbs 14:31; Proverbs 22:2; Malachi 2:10; Job 34:19; Job 10:8–12
- 16 Deuteronomy 15:7–10; Isaiah 38:14; Lamentations 4:17; Deuteronomy 28:32; Galatians 2:10
- 17 Ezekiel 18:16; Nehemiah 8:10; Acts 4:32; Luke 11:41; James 1:27
- 19 Job 22:6; 1 John 3:18; Acts 9:39; Matthew 25:36; 2 Chronicles 28:15
- 20 Deuteronomy 24:13; Job 29:11
- 21 Job 22:9; Job 29:12; Ezekiel 22:7; Micah 7:3; Jeremiah 5:28
- 22 Job 31:40; Job 31:10; Psalm 137:6; Job 38:15; Joshua 22:22–23
- 23 Job 13:11; Psalm 119:120; 2 Corinthians 5:11; Psalm 76:7; Isaiah 13:6
- 24 Psalm 52:7; Deuteronomy 8:12–14; Proverbs 11:28; Psalm 49:6–7; 1 Timothy 6:10
- 25 Psalm 62:10; Deuteronomy 8:17–18; Jeremiah 9:23; Luke 12:19; Ezekiel 28:5
- 26 Ezekiel 8:16; Deuteronomy 4:19; Deuteronomy 17:3; 2 Kings 23:11; Jeremiah 8:2
- 27 Deuteronomy 13:6; Deuteronomy 11:16; Psalm 2:12; Isaiah 44:20; 1 Kings 19:18
- 28 Deuteronomy 17:2–7; Job 31:11; Psalm 50:6; Job 9:15; Joshua 24:27
- 29 Proverbs 24:17–18; Proverbs 17:5; Psalm 35:13–14; Obadiah 12; Psalm 35:25–26
- 30 1 Peter 3:9; Romans 12:14; Matthew 5:43–44; Matthew 5:22; James 3:9–10
- 31 1 Samuel 24:10; 1 Samuel 26:8; 2 Samuel 19:21–22; Job 19:22; Proverbs 1:18
- 32 Hebrews 13:2; Genesis 19:2–3; Judges 19:20–21; Romans 12:13; Matthew 25:35
- 33 Proverbs 28:13; Acts 5:8; Genesis 3:12; Hosea 6:7; 1 John 1:8–10
- 34 Exodus 23:2; Proverbs 29:25; Proverbs 24:11–12; Nehemiah 13:28; Exodus 32:27
- 35 Job 40:4–5; Job 13:21–22; Job 23:3–7; Job 13:3; Job 35:14
- 36 Isaiah 22:22; Isaiah 62:3; Exodus 28:12; Job 29:14; Philippians 4:1
- 37 Job 13:15; Ephesians 3:12; Hebrews 4:15–16; Job 29:25; Job 42:3–6
- 38 Habakkuk 2:11; Psalm 65:13; James 5:4; Job 20:27
- 39 1 Kings 21:19; James 5:4; 1 Kings 21:13–16; Ezekiel 22:6; Isaiah 26:21
- 40 Genesis 3:17–18; Malachi 1:3; Psalm 72:20; Isaiah 7:23; Zephaniah 2:9
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
And what is more, when he had them they were no joy to him: so he also declared, saying, "If I did so much as rejoice when my wealth waxed great:" wherefore neither did he grieve when it was gone.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
And if thou wouldest also hear of his strivings after continence, hearken to him when he saith, "I made a covenant with mine eyes, that I should not think upon a maid." For this cause his wife did not break his spirit, for he loved her even before this, not however immoderately, but as is due to a wife.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)