Job 31:35-40
Job 31:35-40 The Message (MSG)
“Oh, if only someone would give me a hearing! I’ve signed my name to my defense—let the Almighty One answer! I want to see my indictment in writing. Anyone’s welcome to read my defense; I’ll write it on a poster and carry it around town. I’m prepared to account for every move I’ve ever made— to anyone and everyone, prince or pauper. “If the very ground that I farm accuses me, if even the furrows fill with tears from my abuse, If I’ve ever raped the earth for my own profit or dispossessed its rightful owners, Then curse it with thistles instead of wheat, curse it with weeds instead of barley.”
Job 31:35-40 King James Version (KJV)
Oh that one would hear me! Behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, And that mine adversary had written a book. Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, And bind it as a crown to me. I would declare unto him the number of my steps; As a prince would I go near unto him. If my land cry against me, Or that the furrows likewise thereof complain; If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, Or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life: Let thistles grow instead of wheat, And cockle instead of barley.
Job 31:35-40 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
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, Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, I would bind it to myself like a crown. I would declare to Him the number of my steps; Like a prince I would approach Him. “If my land cries out against me, And its furrows weep together; If I have eaten its fruit without money, Or have caused its owners to lose their lives, Let briars grow instead of wheat, And stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
Job 31:35-40 New Century Version (NCV)
(“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. I would wear the writing on my shoulder; I would put it on like a crown. I would explain to God every step I took, and I would come near to him like a prince.) “If my land cries out against me and its plowed rows are not wet with tears, if I have taken the land’s harvest without paying or have broken the spirit of those who worked the land, then let thorns come up instead of wheat, and let weeds come up instead of barley.” The words of Job are finished.
Job 31:35-40 American Standard Version (ASV)
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! Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown: I would declare unto him the number of my steps; As a prince would I go near unto him. If my land crieth out against me, And the furrows thereof weep together; If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, Or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life: Let thistles grow instead of wheat, And cockle instead of barley.
Job 31:35-40 New International Version (NIV)
(“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. Surely I would wear it on my shoulder, I would put it on like a crown. I would give him an account of my every step; I would present it to him as to a ruler.)— “if my land cries out against me and all its furrows are wet with tears, if I have devoured its yield without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants, then let briers come up instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
Job 31:35-40 New King James Version (NKJV)
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! Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, And bind it on me like a crown; I would declare to Him the number of my steps; Like a prince I would approach Him. “If my land cries out against me, And its furrows weep together; If I have eaten its fruit without money, Or caused its owners to lose their lives; Then let thistles grow instead of wheat, And weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
Job 31:35-40 Amplified Bible (AMP)
“Oh, that I had one to listen to me! Look, here is my signature (mark); Let the Almighty answer me! Let my adversary write out His indictment [and put His vague accusations in tangible form]. “Surely I would [proudly] bear it on my shoulder, And bind the scroll around my head like a crown. “I would count out to Him the number of my steps [with every detail of my life], Approaching His presence as if I were a prince. ¶“For if my land has cried out against me, And its furrows weep together; If I have eaten its fruits without paying for them, Or have caused its [rightful] owners to lose their lives, Let thorns grow instead of wheat, And stinkweed and cockleburs instead of barley.” So the words of Job [with his friends] are finished.
Job 31:35-40 New Living Translation (NLT)
“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. I would face the accusation proudly. I would wear it like a crown. For I would tell him exactly what I have done. I would come before him like a prince. “If my land accuses me and all its furrows cry out together, or if I have stolen its crops or murdered its owners, then let thistles grow on that land instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley.”
Job 31:35-40 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
Oh, that I had one to hear me! (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!) Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary! Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; I would bind it on me as a crown; I would give him an account of all my steps; like a prince I would approach him. “If my land has cried out against me and its furrows have wept together, if I have eaten its yield without payment and made its owners breathe their last, let thorns grow instead of wheat, and foul weeds instead of barley.”