nkjv - Job:31-33

nkjv@Job:31:1 @ "I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?

nkjv@Job:31:2 @ For what is the allotment of God from above, And the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

nkjv@Job:31:3 @ Is it not destruction for the wicked, And disaster for the workers of iniquity?

nkjv@Job:31:4 @ Does He not see my ways, And count all my steps?

nkjv@Job:31:5 @ "If I have walked with falsehood, Or if my foot has hastened to deceit,

nkjv@Job:31:6 @ Let me be weighed on honest scales, That God may know my integrity.

nkjv@Job:31:7 @ If my step has turned from the way, Or my heart walked after my eyes, Or if any spot adheres to my hands,

nkjv@Job:31:8 @ Then let me sow, and another eat; Yes, let my harvest be rooted out.

nkjv@Job:31:9 @ "If my heart has been enticed by a woman, Or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door,

nkjv@Job:31:10 @ Then let my wife grind for another, And let others bow down over her.

nkjv@Job:31:11 @ For that would be wickedness; Yes, it would be iniquity deserving of judgment.

nkjv@Job:31:12 @ For that would be a fire that consumes to destruction, And would root out all my increase.

nkjv@Job:31:13 @ "If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant When they complained against me,

nkjv@Job:31:14 @ What then shall I do when God rises up? When He punishes, how shall I answer Him?

nkjv@Job:31:15 @ Did not He who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?

nkjv@Job:31:16 @ "If I have kept the poor from their desire, Or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

nkjv@Job:31:17 @ Or eaten my morsel by myself, So that the fatherless could not eat of it

nkjv@Job:31:18 @ (But from my youth I reared him as a father, And from my mother's womb I guided the widow );

nkjv@Job:31:19 @ If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, Or any poor man without covering;

nkjv@Job:31:20 @ If his heart has not blessed me, And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

nkjv@Job:31:21 @ If I have raised my hand against the fatherless, When I saw I had help in the gate;

nkjv@Job:31:22 @ Then let my arm fall from my shoulder, Let my arm be torn from the socket.

nkjv@Job:31:23 @ For destruction from God is a terror to me, And because of His magnificence I cannot endure.

nkjv@Job:31:24 @ "If I have made gold my hope, Or said to fine gold, "You are my confidence';

nkjv@Job:31:25 @ If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gained much;

nkjv@Job:31:26 @ If I have observed the sun when it shines, Or the moon moving in brightness,

nkjv@Job:31:27 @ So that my heart has been secretly enticed, And my mouth has kissed my hand;

nkjv@Job:31:28 @ This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment, For I would have denied God who is above.

nkjv@Job:31:29 @ "If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, Or lifted myself up when evil found him

nkjv@Job:31:30 @ (Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking for a curse on his soul);

nkjv@Job:31:31 @ If the men of my tent have not said, "Who is there that has not been satisfied with his meat?'

nkjv@Job:31:32 @ (But no sojourner had to lodge in the street, For I have opened my doors to the traveler );

nkjv@Job:31:33 @ If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

nkjv@Job:31:34 @ Because I feared the great multitude, And dreaded the contempt of families, So that I kept silence And did not go out of the door--

nkjv@Job:31:35 @ Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my mark. Oh, that the Almighty would answer me, That my Prosecutor had written a book!

nkjv@Job:31:36 @ Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, And bind it on me like a crown;

nkjv@Job:31:37 @ I would declare to Him the number of my steps; Like a prince I would approach Him.

nkjv@Job:31:38 @ "If my land cries out against me, And its furrows weep together;

nkjv@Job:31:39 @ If I have eaten its fruit without money, Or caused its owners to lose their lives;

nkjv@Job:31:40 @ Then let thistles grow instead of wheat, And weeds instead of barley." The words of Job are ended.

nkjv@Job:32:1 @ So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.

nkjv@Job:32:2 @ Then the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was aroused against Job; his wrath was aroused because he justified himself rather than God.

nkjv@Job:32:3 @ Also against his three friends his wrath was aroused, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.

nkjv@Job:32:4 @ Now because they were years older than he, Elihu had waited to speak to Job.

nkjv@Job:32:5 @ When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was aroused.

nkjv@Job:32:6 @ So Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and said: "I am young in years, and you are very old; Therefore I was afraid, And dared not declare my opinion to you.

nkjv@Job:32:7 @ I said, "Age should speak, And multitude of years should teach wisdom.'

nkjv@Job:32:8 @ But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.

nkjv@Job:32:9 @ Great men are not always wise, Nor do the aged always understand justice.

nkjv@Job:32:10 @ "Therefore I say, "Listen to me, I also will declare my opinion.'

nkjv@Job:32:11 @ Indeed I waited for your words, I listened to your reasonings, while you searched out what to say.

nkjv@Job:32:12 @ I paid close attention to you; And surely not one of you convinced Job, Or answered his words--

nkjv@Job:32:13 @ Lest you say, "We have found wisdom'; God will vanquish him, not man.

nkjv@Job:32:14 @ Now he has not directed his words against me; So I will not answer him with your words.

nkjv@Job:32:15 @ "They are dismayed and answer no more; Words escape them.

nkjv@Job:32:16 @ And I have waited, because they did not speak, Because they stood still and answered no more.

nkjv@Job:32:17 @ I also will answer my part, I too will declare my opinion.

nkjv@Job:32:18 @ For I am full of words; The spirit within me compels me.

nkjv@Job:32:19 @ Indeed my belly is like wine that has no vent; It is ready to burst like new wineskins.

nkjv@Job:32:20 @ I will speak, that I may find relief; I must open my lips and answer.

nkjv@Job:32:21 @ Let me not, I pray, show partiality to anyone; Nor let me flatter any man.

nkjv@Job:32:22 @ For I do not know how to flatter, Else my Maker would soon take me away.

nkjv@Job:33:1 @ "But please, Job, hear my speech, And listen to all my words.

nkjv@Job:33:2 @ Now, I open my mouth; My tongue speaks in my mouth.

nkjv@Job:33:3 @ My words come from my upright heart; My lips utter pure knowledge.

nkjv@Job:33:4 @ The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

nkjv@Job:33:5 @ If you can answer me, Set your words in order before me; Take your stand.

nkjv@Job:33:6 @ Truly I am as your spokesman before God; I also have been formed out of clay.

nkjv@Job:33:7 @ Surely no fear of me will terrify you, Nor will my hand be heavy on you.

nkjv@Job:33:8 @ "Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words, saying,

nkjv@Job:33:9 @ "I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me.

nkjv@Job:33:10 @ Yet He finds occasions against me, He counts me as His enemy;

nkjv@Job:33:11 @ He puts my feet in the stocks, He watches all my paths.'

nkjv@Job:33:12 @ "Look, in this you are not righteous. I will answer you, For God is greater than man.

nkjv@Job:33:13 @ Why do you contend with Him? For He does not give an accounting of any of His words.

nkjv@Job:33:14 @ For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it.

nkjv@Job:33:15 @ In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds,

nkjv@Job:33:16 @ Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction.

nkjv@Job:33:17 @ In order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man,

nkjv@Job:33:18 @ He keeps back his soul from the Pit, And his life from perishing by the sword.

nkjv@Job:33:19 @ "Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, And with strong pain in many of his bones,

nkjv@Job:33:20 @ So that his life abhors bread, And his soul succulent food.

nkjv@Job:33:21 @ His flesh wastes away from sight, And his bones stick out which once were not seen.

nkjv@Job:33:22 @ Yes, his soul draws near the Pit, And his life to the executioners.

nkjv@Job:33:23 @ "If there is a messenger for him, A mediator, one among a thousand, To show man His uprightness,

nkjv@Job:33:24 @ Then He is gracious to him, and says, "Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom';

nkjv@Job:33:25 @ His flesh shall be young like a child's, He shall return to the days of his youth.

nkjv@Job:33:26 @ He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, For He restores to man His righteousness.

nkjv@Job:33:27 @ Then he looks at men and says, "I have sinned, and perverted what was right, And it did not profit me.'

nkjv@Job:33:28 @ He will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit, And his life shall see the light.

nkjv@Job:33:29 @ "Behold, God works all these things, Twice, in fact, three times with a man,

nkjv@Job:33:30 @ To bring back his soul from the Pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of life.

nkjv@Job:33:31 @ "Give ear, Job, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will speak.

nkjv@Job:33:32 @ If you have anything to say, answer me; Speak, for I desire to justify you.

nkjv@Job:33:33 @ If not, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom."

nkjv@Job:34:1 @ Elihu further answered and said: