The Meaning of Job 31:5 Explained

Job 31:5

KJV: If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;

YLT: If I have walked with vanity, And my foot doth hasten to deceit,

Darby: If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot hath hasted to deceit,

ASV: If I have walked with falsehood, And my foot hath hasted to deceit;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

If I have walked  with vanity,  or if my foot  hath hasted  to deceit; 

What does Job 31:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 31:1-40 - The Clean Life
Job had specially guarded against impurity, for its heritage is one of calamity and disaster. He is sure that even if he were weighed by God Himself there would be no iniquity discovered in him. He even goes so far as to invoke the most awful results if he has sinned against the seventh commandment. It is well for us if we are able with similar sincerity to appeal to the verdict of God and of our own heart. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to beget in us purity and separateness from sin, that we may walk with unsullied garments.
Job also protests the even-handedness of his dealings with his servants, alleging the principle which underlies the whole Christian teaching on the point, that we all have been made by the same Creator. He insists on his benevolence to the widow and the fatherless. He is careful to show that he had not failed in doing all the good that was within his reach. Alas, how few of us can say as much! How many such occasions cross our path every day, which we heedlessly let pass!
With this appeal Job goes into the presence of God, and asks for a reply. In the strong gospel light we are too deeply convicted of sin to dare to do this, and must rely upon the merits of Christ. In these alone can we approach the uncreated light. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 31

1  Job makes a solemn protestation of his integrity in several duties

What do the individual words in Job 31:5 mean?

if I have walked with falsehood Or if has hastened to deceit my foot
אִם־ הָלַ֥כְתִּי עִם־ שָׁ֑וְא וַתַּ֖חַשׁ עַל־ מִרְמָ֣ה רַגְלִֽי

הָלַ֥כְתִּי  I  have  walked 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
שָׁ֑וְא  falsehood 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁוְא  
Sense: emptiness, vanity, falsehood.
וַתַּ֖חַשׁ  Or  if  has  hastened 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: חוּשׁ 
Sense: to haste, make haste, hurry.
מִרְמָ֣ה  deceit 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִרְמָה  
Sense: deceit, treachery.
רַגְלִֽי  my  foot 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: רֶגֶל  
Sense: foot.