Job 31
1 I made an agreement with my eyes; how then might my eyes be looking on a virgin?
“I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin?
2 For what is God's reward from on high, or the heritage given by the Ruler of all from heaven?
For what is the allotment of God from above, or the heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 Is it not trouble for the sinner, and destruction for the evil-doers?
Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity?
4 Does he not see my ways, and are not my steps all numbered?
Does He not see my ways and count my every step?
5 If I have gone in false ways, or my foot has been quick in working deceit;
If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has rushed to deceit,
6 (Let me be measured in upright scales, and let God see my righteousness: )
let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my integrity.
7 If my steps have been turned out of the way, or if my heart went after my eyes, or if the property of another is in my hands;
If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands,
8 Let me put seed in the earth for another to have the fruit of it, and let my produce be uprooted.
then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.
9 If my heart went after another man's wife, or if I was waiting secretly at my neighbour's door;
If my heart has been enticed by my neighbor’s wife, or I have lurked at his door,
10 Then let my wife give pleasure to another man and let others make use of her body.
then may my own wife grind grain for another, and may other men sleep with her.
11 For that would be a crime; it would be an act for which punishment would be measured out by the judges:
For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged.
12 It would be a fire burning even to destruction, and taking away all my produce.
For it is a fire that burns down to Abaddon; it would root out my entire harvest.
13 If I did wrong in the cause of my man-servant, or my woman-servant, when they went to law with me;
If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservant when they made a complaint against me,
14 What then will I do when God comes as my judge? and what answer may I give to his questions?
what will I do when God rises to judge? How will I answer when called to account?
15 Did not God make him as well as me? did he not give us life in our mothers' bodies?
Did not He who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same One form us in the womb?
16 If I kept back the desire of the poor; if the widow's eye was looking for help to no purpose;
If I have denied the desires of the poor or allowed the widow’s eyes to fail,
17 If I kept my food for myself, and did not give some of it to the child with no father;
if I have eaten my morsel alone, not sharing it with the fatherless—
18 (For I was cared for by God as by a father from my earliest days; he was my guide from the body of my mother; )
though from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—
19 If I saw one near to death for need of clothing, and that the poor had nothing covering him;
if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak,
20 If his back did not give me a blessing, and the wool of my sheep did not make him warm;
if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep,
21 If my hand had been lifted up against him who had done no wrong, when I saw that I was supported by the judges;
if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate,
22 May my arm be pulled from my body, and be broken from its base.
then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket.
23 For the fear of God kept me back, and because of his power I might not do such things.
For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.
24 If I made gold my hope, or if I ever said to the best gold, I have put my faith in you;
If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security,
25 If I was glad because my wealth was great, and because my hand had got together a great store;
if I have rejoiced in my great wealth because my hand had gained so much,
26 If, when I saw the sun shining, and the moon moving on its bright way,
if I have beheld the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor,
27 A secret feeling of worship came into my heart, and my hand gave kisses from my mouth;
so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,
28 That would have been another sin to be rewarded with punishment by the judges; for I would have been false to God on high.
this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have denied God on high.
29 If I was glad at the trouble of my hater, and gave cries of joy when evil overtook him;
If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin, or exulted when evil befell him—
30 (For I did not let my mouth give way to sin, in putting a curse on his life; )
I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse—
31 If the men of my tent did not say, Who has not had full measure of his meat?
if the men of my house have not said, ‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’—
32 The traveller did not take his night's rest in the street, and my doors were open to anyone on a journey;
but no stranger had to lodge on the street, for my door has been open to the traveler—
33 If I kept my evil doings covered, and my sin in the secret of my breast,
if I have covered my transgressions like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart,
34 For fear of the great body of people, or for fear that families might make sport of me, so that I kept quiet, and did not go out of my door;
because I greatly feared the crowds and the contempt of the clans terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside—
35 If only God would give ear to me, and the Ruler of all would give me an answer! or if what he has against me had been put in writing!
(Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser compose an indictment.
36 Truly I would take up the book in my hands; it would be to me as a crown;
Surely I would carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown.
37 I would make clear the number of my steps, I would put it before him like a prince! The words of Job are ended.
I would give account of all my steps; I would approach Him like a prince.)—
38 If my land has made an outcry against me, or the ploughed earth has been in sorrow;
if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together,
39 If I have taken its produce without payment, causing the death of its owners;
if I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants,
40 Then in place of grain let thorns come up, and in place of barley evil-smelling plants.
then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job.
