VERSE STUDY • KJV

Job 31:20-28

²⁰ If his loins have not blessed me, and [if] he were [not] warmed with the fleece of my sheep; ²¹ If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate: ²² [Then] let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine 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. ²⁴ If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, [Thou art] my confidence; ²⁵ If I rejoiced because my wealth [was] great, and because mine hand had gotten much; ²⁶ If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking [in] brightness; ²⁷ And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: ²⁸ This also [were] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judge: for I should have denied the God [that is] above.

Read it in 5 translations

KJV King James Version

²⁰ If his loins have not blessed me, and [if] he were [not] warmed with the fleece of my sheep; ²¹ If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate: ²² [Then] let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine 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. ²⁴ If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, [Thou art] my confidence; ²⁵ If I rejoiced because my wealth [was] great, and because mine hand had gotten much; ²⁶ If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking [in] brightness; ²⁷ And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: ²⁸ This also [were] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judge: for I should have denied the God [that is] above.

BSB Berean Standard Bible

²⁰ if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep, ²¹ if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate, ²² then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket. ²³ For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower. ²⁴ If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security, ²⁵ if I have rejoiced in my great wealth because my hand had gained so much, ²⁶ if I have beheld the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor, ²⁷ so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth, ²⁸ this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have denied God on high.

WEB World English Bible

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, because I saw my help in the gate, ²² then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone. ²³ For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because his majesty, I can do nothing. 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 gotten much; ²⁶ if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor, ²⁷ and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth, ²⁸ this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for I should have denied the God who is above.

ASV American Standard Version

²⁰ If his loins have not blessed me, And if he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep; ²¹ If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, Because I saw my help in the gate: ²² Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, And mine arm be broken from the bone. ²³ For calamity from God is a terror to me, And by reason of his majesty I can do nothing. ²⁴ If I have made gold my hope, And have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence; 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, ²⁷ And my heart hath been secretly enticed, And my mouth hath kissed my hand: ²⁸ This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; For I should have denied the God that is above.

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

²⁰ If his loins have not blessed me, And from the fleece of my sheep He doth not warm himself, ²¹ If I have waved at the fatherless my hand, When I see in him the gate of my court, ²² My shoulder from its blade let fall, And mine arm from the bone be broken. ²³ For a dread unto me is calamity from God, And because of His excellency I am not able. ²⁴ If I have made gold my confidence, And to the pure gold have said, ‘My trust,’ ²⁵ If I rejoice because great is my wealth, And because abundance hath my hand found, ²⁶ If I see the light when it shineth, And the precious moon walking, ²⁷ And my heart is enticed in secret, And my hand doth kiss my mouth, ²⁸ It also is a judicial iniquity, For I had lied to God above.

Surrounding context — Job 31

17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;

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;)

19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;

20 If his loins have not blessed me, and [if] he were [not] warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:

22 [Then] let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine 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.

24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, [Thou art] my confidence;

25 If I rejoiced because my wealth [was] great, and because mine hand had gotten much;

26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking [in] brightness;

27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:

28 This also [were] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judge: for I should have denied the God [that is] above.

29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that 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.

31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.

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