Job 31

1 I made an agreement with my eyes; how then might my eyes be looking on a virgin?

I made a covenant with mine eyes; and how should I fix my regard upon a maid?

2 For what is God's reward from on high, or the heritage given by the Ruler of all from heaven?

For what would have been [my] portion of God from above, and what the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

3 Is it not trouble for the sinner, and destruction for the evil-doers?

Is not calamity for the unrighteous? and misfortune for the workers of iniquity?

4 Does he not see my ways, and are not my steps all numbered?

Doth not he see my ways, and number all my steps?

5 If I have gone in false ways, or my foot has been quick in working deceit;

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

6 (Let me be measured in upright scales, and let God see my righteousness: )

(Let me be weighed in an even balance, and God will take knowledge of my blamelessness; )

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 step have turned out of the way, and my heart followed mine eyes, and if any blot cleaveth 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.

Let me sow, and another eat; and let mine offspring be rooted out.

9 If my heart went after another man's wife, or if I was waiting secretly at my neighbour's door;

If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, so that I laid wait at my neighbour's door,

10 Then let my wife give pleasure to another man and let others make use of her body.

Let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down upon her.

11 For that would be a crime; it would be an act for which punishment would be measured out by the judges:

For this is an infamy; yea, it is an iniquity [to be judged by] the judges:

12 It would be a fire burning even to destruction, and taking away all my produce.

For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.

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 despised the cause of my bondman or of my bondmaid, when they contended with me,

14 What then will I do when God comes as my judge? and what answer may I give to his questions?

What then should I do when God riseth up? and if he visited, what should I answer him?

15 Did not God make him as well as me? did he not give us life in our mothers' bodies?

Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not One fashion 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 withheld the poor from [their] desire, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

17 If I kept my food for myself, and did not give some of it to the child with no father;

Or have eaten my morsel alone, so that the fatherless ate not thereof,

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; )

(For from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided the [widow] from my mother's womb; )

19 If I saw one near to death for need of clothing, and that the poor had nothing covering him;

If I have seen any perishing for want of clothing, or any needy without covering;

20 If his back did not give me a blessing, and the wool of my sheep did not make him warm;

If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my lambs;

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 an orphan, because I saw my help in the gate:

22 May my arm be pulled from my body, and be broken from its base.

[Then] let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone!

23 For the fear of God kept me back, and because of his power I might not do such things.

For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his excellency I was powerless.

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 made gold my hope, or said to the fine gold, My confidence!

25 If I was glad because my wealth was great, and because my hand had got together a great store;

If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;

26 If, when I saw the sun shining, and the moon moving on its bright way,

If I beheld the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in brightness,

27 A secret feeling of worship came into my heart, and my hand gave kisses from my mouth;

And my heart have been secretly enticed, so that my mouth kissed my hand:

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 also would be an iniquity for the judge, for I should have denied the God who is above.

29 If I was glad at the trouble of my hater, and gave cries of joy when evil overtook him;

If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, and exulted when evil befell him;

30 (For I did not let my mouth give way to sin, in putting a curse on his life; )

(Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by asking 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 tent said not, Who shall find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat? —

32 The traveller did not take his night's rest in the street, and my doors were open to anyone on a journey;

The stranger did not lodge without; I opened my doors to the pathway.

33 If I kept my evil doings covered, and my sin in the secret of my breast,

If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,

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 feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door, ...

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! Behold my signature: let the Almighty answer me! And let mine opponent write an accusation!

36 Truly I would take up the book in my hands; it would be to me as a crown;

Would I not take it upon my shoulder? I would bind it on to me [as] 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 declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I come near to him.

38 If my land has made an outcry against me, or the ploughed earth has been in sorrow;

If my land cry 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 eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have tormented to death the souls of its owners:

40 Then in place of grain let thorns come up, and in place of barley evil-smelling plants.

Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and tares instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.