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Atlas of Saints

Job

Chapter 31 · Douay–Rheims / Challoner

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Chapter XXXI · Location 31 of 42

Chapter 31 · Open to read

From Job · Douay–Rheims / Challoner (1749–1752)

What does Job Chapter 31 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Job gives conditional declarations concerning eyes, conduct, servants and the vulnerable. He denies confidence in gold and hatred of enemies and asks to be heard. He offers a written book and enumerated steps, then gives a conditional land-and-fruit challenge; his words end.

Chapter breakdown

Job says he made a covenant with his eyes not even to think upon a virgin. He asks about God's portion from above, the wicked's destruction and whether God sees and numbers his steps. If he walked in vanity or hastened in deceit, he asks to be weighed in a just balance. If his steps turned aside, his heart followed his eyes or a spot cleaved to his hands, he says let another eat his sowing and his offspring be rooted out. If a woman deceived his heart and he lay in wait at his friend's door, let his wife be another's harlot and others lie with her; he calls that a crime and a fire destroying his offspring to the roots.

In Job’s speech, if he despised a servant's judgment when they disputed, he asks what he could answer when God examines him: the same maker formed both in the womb. He speaks conditionally of denying the poor, making the widow wait, eating alone without sharing with the fatherless, seeing the unclothed perish or raising his hand against the fatherless while seeing himself superior in the gate. He recalls mercy from infancy, warming the needy with his sheep's fleeces, and wishes shoulder and arm broken if guilty. He fears God's weight and waves.

Job denies making gold his confidence or rejoicing in wealth and speaks conditionally of seeing sun or moon, secretly rejoicing and kissing his hand; this would deny God above. He denies rejoicing at an enemy's ruin or cursing his soul. He reports his household's words, 'Who will give us of his flesh that we may be filled?' and says the stranger stayed outside no longer because his door was open. He asks conditionally about hiding sin as a man, fear of the multitude or kinsmen's contempt, and rather holding peace and not going outside the door.

Job asks for a hearing, for the Almighty to hear and for the one judging to write a book. He would carry it on his shoulder, put it about him as a crown, pronounce his steps and offer it as to a prince. If his land cries out and its furrows weep, if he ate its fruits without money and afflicted its tillers, let thistles replace wheat and thorns barley. The text says Job's words ended. The separate sun-and-moon note explains admiration of what God made and governed and challenges the accusation of worship; it remains edition commentary.

The story inside

Opening: Job gives conditional declarations concerning eyes, conduct, servants and the vulnerable. Development: He denies confidence in gold and hatred of enemies and asks to be heard. Conclusion: He offers a written book and enumerated steps, then gives a conditional land-and-fruit challenge; his words end.

Lessons worth keeping

  1. 1
    Job gives conditional declarations concerning eyes, conduct, servants and the vulnerable.
  2. 2
    He denies confidence in gold and hatred of enemies and asks to be heard.
  3. 3
    He offers a written book and enumerated steps, then gives a conditional land-and-fruit challenge; his words end.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

  1. Lines 56634–56635

    I made a covenant with my eyes, that I would not so much as think upon a virgin.
  2. Lines 56648–56649

    Let him weigh me in a just balance, and let God know my simplicity.
  3. Lines 56674–56675

    Did not he that made me in the womb make him also: and did not one and the same form me in the womb?
  4. Lines 56689–56690

    If his sides have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep:
  5. Lines 56695–56696

    Let my shoulder fall from its joint, and let my arm with its bones be broken.
  6. Lines 56740–56741

    Who would grant me a hearing, that the Almighty may hear my desire: and that he himself that judgeth would write a book,
  7. Lines 56743–56744

    That I may carry it on my shoulder, and put it about me as a crown?
  8. Lines 56758–56758

    The words of Job are ended.

Location: chapter 31 of 42 · 74%

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