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 my eyes; why then should I think on 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 portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

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

Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?

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

Does not he see my ways, and count 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 vanity, or if my foot has hurried to deceit;

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

Let me be weighed in an even balance that God 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 step has turned out of the way, and my heart walked after my eyes, and if any blot 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 let me sow, and let another eat; yes, let my 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 deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door;

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

Then let my wife grind to another, and let others bow down on 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 heinous crime; yes, it is an iniquity to be punished 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 consumes to destruction, and would root out all my 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 did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, 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 shall I do when God rises up? and when he visits, what shall 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 have 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 myself alone, and the fatherless has not eaten 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 was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her 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 perish for want of clothing, or any poor 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 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, when 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 arm fall from my shoulder blade, and my 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 destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

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 have said to the fine gold, You are my confidence;

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

If I rejoice 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 shined, 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 has been secretly enticed, or my mouth has 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 were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.

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

If I rejoice at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found 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 wishing a curse to his soul.

31 If the men of my tent did not say, Who has not had full measure of his meat?

If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.

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 in the street: but I opened my doors to the travelers.

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 my 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;

Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, 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 one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that my adversary had written a book.

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

Surely I would take it on my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.

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 to him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go 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 against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;

39 If I have taken its produce without payment, causing the death of its owners;

If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

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 cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.