Job · Noah Webster's Bible (1833)
Job 31 Noah Webster's Bible (1833)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 I Made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
1 “I made a covenant with my eyes; how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?
2 For what portion of God [is there] from above? and [what] inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
2 For what is the portion from God above, and the heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 [Is] not destruction to the wicked? and a strange [punishment] to the workers of iniquity?
3 Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?
4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
4 Doesn’t he see my ways, and count all my steps?
5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
5 “If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit
6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity.
6 (let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity);
7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and my heart walked after my eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to my hands;
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 [Then] let me sow, and let another eat; yes, let my offspring be rooted out.
8 then let me sow, and let another eat. Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.
9 If my heart hath been deceived by a woman, or [if] I have laid wait at my neighbor's door;
9 “If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door,
10 [Then] let my wife grind to another, and let others bow down upon her.
10 then let my wife grind for another, and let others sleep with her.
11 For this [is] a hainous crime; yea, it [is] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges.
11 For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
12 For it [is] a fire [that] consumeth to destruction, and would root out all my increase.
12 for it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase.
13 If I despised the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant, when they contended with me;
13 “If I have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, when they contended with me,
14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
14 what then will I do when God rises up? When he visits, what will I answer him?
15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?
15 Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him? Didn’t one fashion us in the womb?
16 If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
16 “If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten of it;
17 or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it
18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as [with] a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;)
18 (no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, I have guided her from my mother’s womb);
19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
19 if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and [if] he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
20 if his heart hasn’t blessed me, if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece;
21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
21 if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate;
22 [Then] let my arm fall from my shoulder-blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.
22 then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.
23 For destruction [from] God [was] a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
23 For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because of his majesty, I can do nothing.
24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, [Thou art] my confidence;
24 “If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence;’
25 If I have rejoiced because my wealth [was] great, and because my hand had gained much;
25 If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;
26 If I have beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking [in] brightness;
26 if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor,
27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:
27 and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth;
28 This also [were] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judge: for I should have denied the God [that is] above.
28 this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have denied the God who is above.
29 If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or have lifted up myself when evil found him:
29 “If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him
30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
30 (I have certainly not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse);
31 If the men of my tabernacle have not said, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
31 if the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’
32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: [but] I opened my doors to the traveler.
32 (the foreigner has not camped in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler);
33 If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom:
33 if like Adam I have covered my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
34 Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, [and] went not out of the door?
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 Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire [is] , [that] the Almighty would answer me, and [that] my adversary had written a book.
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 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, [and] bind it [as] a crown to me.
36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, and I would bind it to me as a crown.
37 I would declare to him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near to him.
37 I would declare to him the number of my steps. I would go near to him like a prince.
38 If my land crieth against me, or its furrows likewise complain;
38 If my land cries out against me, and its furrows weep together;
39 If I have eaten the fruits of it without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life:
39 if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life,
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
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)