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Job 31 - 32

“I have cut a covenant with my eyes;
How then could I gaze at a virgin?
2
And what is the portion of God from above
Or the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3
Is it not disaster to the unjust
And misfortune to those who work iniquity?
4
Does He not see my ways
And number all my steps?

5
“If I have walked with worthlessness,
And my foot has hastened after deceit,
6
Let Him weigh me with just scales,
And let God know my integrity.
7
If my step has turned from the way,
Or my heart followed my eyes,
Or if any spot has stuck to my hands,
8
Let me sow and another eat,
And let my crops be uprooted.

9
“If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
Or I have lied in wait at my neighbor’s doorway,
10
May my wife grind for another,
And let others kneel down over her.
11
For that would be lewdness;
Moreover, it would be an iniquity punishable by judges.
12
For it would be fire that consumes to Abaddon,
And would uproot all my produce.

13
“If I have rejected the justice of my male or female slaves
When they filed a complaint against me,
14
What then could I do when God arises?
And when He calls me to account, with what will I respond to Him?
15
Did not He who made me in the womb make him,
And the same one fashion us in the womb?

16
“If I have held back the poor from their desire,
Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17
Or have eaten my morsel alone,
And the orphan has not eaten from it
18
(But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,
And from the womb of my mother I guided her),
19
If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
Or that the needy had no covering,
20
If his loins have not blessed me,
And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21
If I have waved my hand against the orphan
Because I saw my help in the gate,
22
Let my shoulder fall from the socket,
And my arm be broken off at the elbow.
23
For disaster from God is a dread to me,
And because of His exaltedness I can do nothing.

24
“If I have put my confidence in gold,
And called fine gold my trust,
25
If I have been glad because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had found so much,
26
If I have looked at the sun when it shone
Or the moon going in splendor,
27
And my heart became secretly enticed,
And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,
28
That too would have been an iniquity calling for judgment,
For I would have denied God above.

29
“If I have been glad at the upheaval of the one who hated me,
Or exulted when evil found him—
30
But I have not given over my mouth to sin
By asking for his life in a curse—
31
If the men of my tent have not said,
‘Who can find one who has not been satisfied with his meat’—
32
The sojourner has not lodged outside,
For I have opened my doors to the traveler—
33
If I have covered my transgressions like Adam,
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
34
Because I feared the great multitude,
And the contempt of families terrified me,
And I kept silent and did not go out of doors—
35
Oh that I had one to hear me!
Behold, here is my signature;
Let the Almighty answer me!
And the indictment which my accuser has written,
36
Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;
I would bind it to myself like a crown.
37
I would declare to Him the number of my steps;
Like a prince I would approach Him—

38
“If my land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together,
39
If I have eaten its fruit without money,
Or have caused its owners to lose their lives,
40
Let briars come out instead of wheat,
And stinkweed instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.

Elihu Answers in Anger

Then these three men ceased answering Job because he was righteous in his own eyes.
2 But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned; against Job his anger burned because he was proving himself righteous before God. 3 And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. 4 Now Elihu had waited with his words for Job because they were years older than he. 5 Then Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, so his anger burned. 6 So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said,
“I am young in years and you are old;
Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you my knowledge.
7
I thought age should speak,
And increased years should make wisdom known.
8
But it is a spirit in man,
And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.
9
The abundant in years may not be wise,
Nor may elders understand justice.
10
So I say, ‘Listen to me,
I too will tell my knowledge.’

11
“Behold, I waited for your words,
I gave ear to your reasonings,
While you searched out what to say.
12
I even carefully considered you;
And behold, there was no one who reproved Job,
Not one of you who answered his words.
13
Lest you say,
‘We have found wisdom;
God will drive him away, not man.’
14
Now he has not arranged his words against me,
Nor will I respond to him with your words.

15
“They are dismayed; they no longer answer;
Words have moved away from them.
16
Shall I wait, because they do not speak,
Because they stand still and no longer answer?
17
I myself will also answer my share;
I also will tell my knowledge.
18
For I am full of words;
The spirit within my belly presses me.
19
Behold, my belly is like unvented wine, not opened;
Like new wineskins it is about to burst.
20
Let me speak that I may get relief;
Let me open my lips and answer.
21
Let me now be partial to no one,
Nor flatter any man.
22
For I do not know how to flatter,
Else my Maker would soon carry me away.