Job 31
1 “I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin?
I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then should I look with desire on a virgin?
2 For what is the allotment of God from above, or the heritage from the Almighty on high?
For what is the portion from God above, the inheritance from the Almighty on high?
3 Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity?
I used to think that calamity is for unrighteous people, and that disaster is for doers of wickedness.
4 Does He not see my ways and count my every step?
Does not God see my ways and count all my steps?
5 If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has rushed to deceit,
If I have walked with falsehood, if my foot has hurried to deceit,
6 let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my integrity.
let me be weighed in an even balance so that God will know my integrity.
7 If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands,
If my step has turned aside from the way, if my heart has gone after my eyes, if any spot has stuck to my hands,
8 then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.
then let me sow, and let another eat, and let my crops be uprooted.
9 If my heart has been enticed by my neighbor’s wife, or I have lurked at his door,
If my heart has been deceived by a woman, if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door,
10 then may my own wife grind grain for another, and may other men sleep with her.
then let my wife grind grain for another, and let others bow down on her.
11 For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged.
For that would be a terrible crime; indeed, it would be a crime to be punished by judges.
12 For it is a fire that burns down to Abaddon; it would root out my entire harvest.
For that is a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn all my harvest to the root.
13 If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservant when they made a complaint against me,
If I ignored the plea for justice from my male or female servant when they argued with me,
14 what will I do when God rises to judge? How will I answer when called to account?
what then would I do when God rises up to accuse me? When he comes to judge me, how would I answer him?
15 Did not He who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same One form us in the womb?
Did the one who made me in the womb not make them also? Did not the same one mold us all in the womb?
16 If I have denied the desires of the poor or allowed the widow’s eyes to fail,
If I have withheld poor people from their desire, or if I have caused the eyes of the widow to grow dim from crying,
17 if I have eaten my morsel alone, not sharing it with the fatherless—
or if I have eaten my morsel alone and not allowed those without fathers to eat it also—
18 though from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—
because from my youth the orphan grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided his mother, a widow, from my own mother's womb.
19 if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak,
If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or if I have seen that a needy man had no clothing;
20 if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep,
if his heart has not blessed me because he has not been warmed with the wool of my sheep,
21 if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate,
if I have lifted up my hand against fatherless people because I saw my support in the city gate, then bring charges against me!
22 then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket.
If I have done these things, then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and let my arm be broken from its joint.
23 For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.
For I dreaded destruction from God; because of his majesty, I was not able to do those things.
24 If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security,
If I have made gold my hope, and if I have said to fine gold, 'You are what I am confident in';
25 if I have rejoiced in my great wealth because my hand had gained so much,
if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, because my hand had gotten many possessions, then bring charges against me!
26 if I have beheld the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor,
If I have seen the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in its brightness,
27 so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,
and if my heart has been secretly attracted, so that my mouth has kissed my hand in worship of them—
28 this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have denied God on high.
this also would be a crime to be punished by judges, for I would have denied the God who is above.
29 If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin, or exulted when evil befell him—
If I have rejoiced at the destruction of anyone who hated me or congratulated myself when disaster overtook him, then bring charges against me!
30 I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse—
Indeed, I have not even allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse.
31 if the men of my house have not said, ‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’—
If the men of my tent have never said, 'Who can find one who has not been filled with Job's food?'
32 but no stranger had to lodge on the street, for my door has been open to the traveler—
(even the foreigner has never had to stay in the city square, because I have always opened my doors to the traveler), and if that is not so, then bring charges against me!
33 if I have covered my transgressions like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart,
If, like mankind, I have hidden my sins by hiding my guilt inside my tunic
34 because I greatly feared the crowds and the contempt of the clans terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside—
(because I feared the great multitude, because the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside), then bring charges against me!
35 (Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser compose an indictment.
Oh, if only I had someone to hear me! See, here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me! If only I had the indictment that my opponent has written!
36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown.
Surely I would carry it openly on my shoulder; I would put it on like a crown.
37 I would give account of all my steps; I would approach Him like a prince.)—
I would declare to him an accounting for my steps; as a confident prince I would go up to him.
38 if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together,
If my land ever cries out against me, and its furrows weep together,
39 if I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants,
if I have eaten its harvest without paying for it or have caused its owners to lose their lives,
40 then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job.
then let thorns grow instead of wheat and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are finished.
