Job 31:33–40

33 if I have concealed my sin as people do,

by hiding my guilt in my heart

34 because I so feared the crowd

and so dreaded the contempt of the clans

that I kept silent and would not go outside—

35 (“Oh, that I had someone to hear me!

I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me;

let my accuser put his indictment in writing.

36 Surely I would wear it on my shoulder,

I would put it on like a crown.

37 I would give him an account of my every step;

I would present it to him as to a ruler.)—

38 “if my land cries out against me

and all its furrows are wet with tears,

39 if I have devoured its yield without payment

or broken the spirit of its tenants,

40 then let briers come up instead of wheat

and stinkweed instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.

33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam,

By hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:

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?

35 Oh that one would hear me!

Behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me,

And that mine adversary had written a book.

36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder,

And bind it as a crown to me.

37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps;

As a prince would I go near unto him.

38 If my land cry against me,

Or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;

39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money,

Or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat,

And cockle instead of barley.

The words of Job are ended.

33 “Have I tried to hide my sins like other people do,

concealing my guilt in my heart?

34 Have I feared the crowd

or the contempt of the masses,

so that I kept quiet and stayed indoors?

35 “If only someone would listen to me!

Look, I will sign my name to my defense.

Let the Almighty answer me.

Let my accuser write out the charges against me.

36 I would face the accusation proudly.

I would wear it like a crown.

37 For I would tell him exactly what I have done.

I would come before him like a prince.

38 “If my land accuses me

and all its furrows cry out together,

39 or if I have stolen its crops

or murdered its owners,

40 then let thistles grow on that land instead of wheat,

and weeds instead of barley.”

Job’s words are ended.

33 If I have covered my transgressions as Adam,

By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

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—

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!

36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder,

And bind it on me 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 caused its owners to lose their lives;

40 Then let thistles grow instead of wheat,

And weeds instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.

33 I have not hidden my sin as others do,

secretly keeping my guilt to myself.

34 I was not so afraid of the crowd

that I kept quiet and stayed inside

because I feared being hated by other families.

35 (“How I wish a court would hear my case!

Here I sign my name to show I have told the truth.

Now let the Almighty answer me;

let the one who accuses me write it down.

36 I would wear the writing on my shoulder;

I would put it on like a crown.

37 I would explain to God every step I took,

and I would come near to him like a prince.)

38 “If my land cries out against me

and its plowed rows are not wet with tears,

39 if I have taken the land’s harvest without paying

or have broken the spirit of those who worked the land,

40 then let thorns come up instead of wheat,

and let weeds come up instead of barley.”

The words of Job are finished.

33 If like Adam I have covered my transgressions,

By hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,

34 Because I feared the great multitude,

And the contempt of families terrified me,

So that I kept silence, and went not out of the door—

35 Oh that I had one to hear me!

(Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me)

And that I had the indictment which mine adversary hath written!

36 Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder;

I would bind it unto me as a crown:

37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps;

As a prince would I go near unto him.

38 If my land crieth out against me,

And the furrows thereof weep together;

39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money,

Or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat,

And cockle instead of barley.

The words of Job are ended.

33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom, 34 Because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door, … 35 Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold my signature: let the Almighty answer me! And let mine opponent write an accusation! 36 Would I not take it upon my shoulder? I would bind it on to me as a crown; 37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I come near to him. 38 If my land cry out against me, and its furrows weep together; 39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have tormented to death the souls of its owners: 40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and tares instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.

33 “If I have covered my disobedience like Adam 

and kept my sin to myself, 

34 because I dreaded the large, noisy crowd 

and because the contempt of the ⸤local⸥ mobs terrified me 

so that I kept quiet and didn’t go outside.… 

35 “If only I had someone who would listen to me! 

Look, here is my signature! 

Let the Almighty answer me. 

Let the prosecutor write ⸤his complaint⸥ on a scroll. 

36 I would certainly carry it on my shoulder 

and place it on my head like a crown. 

37 I would tell him the number of my steps 

and approach him like a prince. 

38 “If my land has cried out against me, 

and its furrows have wept.… 

39 If I have eaten its produce without paying for it 

and made its owners breathe their last, 

40 ⸤then⸥ let it grow thistles instead of wheat, 

and foul-smelling weeds instead of barley.” 

This is the end of Job’s words. 

33 Have I covered my transgressions as others do

by hiding my guilt in my heart,

34 because I greatly feared the crowds,

and the contempt of the clans terrified me,

so I grew silent and would not go outside?

35 If only I had someone to hear my case!

Here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me.

Let my Opponent compose His indictment.

36 I would surely carry it on my shoulder

and wear it like a crown.

37 I would give Him an account of all my steps;

I would approach Him like a prince.

38 If my land cries out against me

and its furrows join in weeping,

39 if I have consumed its produce without payment

or shown contempt for its tenants,

40 then let thorns grow instead of wheat

and stinkweed instead of barley.

The words of Job are concluded.

33 if I have concealed my transgressions as others do,

by hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

34 because I stood in great fear of the multitude,

and the contempt of families terrified me,

so that I kept silence and did not go out of doors—

35 O that I had one to hear me!

(Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!)

O that I had the indictment written by my adversary!

36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;

I would bind it on me like a crown;

37 I would give him an account of all my steps;

like a prince I would approach him.

38 “If my land has cried out against me

and its furrows have wept together,

39 if I have eaten its yield without payment

and caused the death of its owners,

40 let thorns grow instead of wheat

and foul weeds instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.

33 Have I concealed my transgressions as other human beings

to hide my iniquity in my bosom

34 because I dreaded the great multitude,

and the contempt of clans terrified me,

so that I kept quiet, I did not go out of the doorway?

35 O that I had someone hearing me!

Here is my signature;

let Shaddai answer me!

As for the written communication that my adversary has written,

36 I would surely carry it on my shoulder;

I would bind it on me like a crown.

37 I would give him an account of my steps;

I would approach him like a noble.

38 If my land has cried out against me,

and its furrows have wept together,

39 if I have eaten its yield without payment,

or I have caused the breath of its owners to die,

40 let thorns grow in place of wheat

and noxious weeds in place of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.

33 I didn’t hide my sin as others do.

I didn’t hide my guilt in my heart.

34 I was never afraid of the crowd.

I never worried that my relatives might hate me.

I didn’t have to keep quiet or stay inside.

35 “I wish someone would listen to me!

I’m signing my name to everything I’ve said.

I hope the Mighty One will give me his answer.

I hope the one who brings charges against me will write them down.

36 I’ll wear them on my shoulder.

I’ll put them on my head like a crown.

37 I’ll give that person a report of every step I take.

I’ll approach him like a prince.

38 “Suppose my land cries out against me.

And all of its soil is wet with tears.

39 Suppose I’ve used up its crops without paying for them.

Or I’ve broken the spirit of its renters.

40 Then let thorns grow instead of wheat.

Let weeds come up instead of barley.”

The words of Job end here.

33 “Have I 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 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 adversary 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 grow instead of wheat,

And stinkweed instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.