Job 31
1 I made a covenant with mine eyes, and I will not think upon a virgin.
I made a couenant with mine eyes: why then should I thinke on a mayde?
2 Now what portion has God given from above? and is there an inheritance [given] of the Mighty One from the highest?
For what portion should I haue of God from aboue? and what inheritance of the Almightie from on hie?
3 Alas! destruction to the unrighteous, and rejection to them that do iniquity.
Is not destruction to the wicked and strange punishment to the workers of iniquitie?
4 Will he not see my way, and number all my steps?
Doeth not he beholde my wayes and tell all my steps?
5 But if I had gone with scorners, and if too my foot has hasted to deceit:
If I haue walked in vanitie, or if my foote hath made haste to deceite,
6 (for I am weighed in a just balance, and the Lord knows my innocence: )
Let God weigh me in the iust balance, and he shall know mine vprightnes.
7 if my foot has turned aside out of the way, or if mine heart has followed mine eye, and if too I have touched gifts with my hands;
If my steppe hath turned out of the way, or mine heart hath walked after mine eye, or if any blot hath cleaued to mine handes,
8 then let me sow, and let others eat; and let me be uprooted on the earth.
Let me sowe, and let another eate: yea, let my plantes be rooted out.
9 If my heart has gone forth after another man's wife, and if I laid wait at her doors;
If mine heart hath bene deceiued by a woman, or if I haue layde wayte at the doore of my neighbour,
10 then let my wife also please another, and let my children be brought low.
Let my wife grinde vnto another man, and let other men bow downe vpon her:
11 For the rage of anger is not to be controlled, [in the case] of defiling [another] man's wife.
For this is a wickednes, and iniquitie to bee condemned:
12 For it is a fire burning on every side, and whoever it attacks, it utterly destroys.
Yea, this is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction, and which shall roote out al mine increase,
13 And if too I despised the judgement of my servant or [my] handmaid, when they pleaded with me;
If I did contemne the iudgement of my seruant, and of my mayde, when they did contend with me,
14 what then shall I do if the Lord should try me? and if also he should at all visit me, can I make an answer?
What then shall I do when God standeth vp? and when he shall visit me, what shall I answere?
15 Were not they too formed as I also was formed in the womb? yes, we were formed in the same womb.
He that hath made me in the wombe, hath he not made him? hath not he alone facioned vs in the wombe?
16 But the helpless missed not whatever need they had, and I did not cause the eye of the widow to fail.
If I restrained the poore of their desire, or haue caused the eyes of the widow to faile,
17 And if too I ate my morsel alone, and did not impart [of it] to the orphan;
Or haue eaten my morsels alone, and the fatherles hath not eaten thereof,
18 (for I nourished [them] as a father from my youth and guided [them] from my mother's womb.)
(For from my youth hee hath growen vp with me as with a father, and from my mothers wombe I haue bene a guide vnto her)
19 And if too I overlooked the naked as he was perishing, and did not clothe him;
If I haue seene any perish for want of clothing, or any poore without couering,
20 and if the poor did not bless me, and their shoulders were [not] warmed with the fleece of my lambs;
If his loynes haue not blessed me, because he was warmed with the fleece of my sheepe,
21 if I lifted my hand against an orphan, trusting that my strength was far superior [to his]:
If I haue lift vp mine hande against the fatherlesse, when I saw that I might helpe him in the gate,
22 let them my shoulder start from the blade-bone, and my arm be crushed off from the elbow.
Let mine arme fal from my shoulder, and mine arme be broken from the bone.
23 For the fear of the Lord constrained me, and I can’t bear up by reason of his burden.
For Gods punishment was fearefull vnto me, and I could not be deliuered from his highnes.
24 If I made gold my treasure, and if too I trusted the precious stone;
If I made gold mine hope, or haue sayd to the wedge of golde, Thou art my confidence,
25 and if too I rejoiced when my wealth was abundant, and if too I laid my hand on innumerable [treasures]:
If I reioyced because my substance was great, or because mine hand had gotten much,
26 (do we not see the shining sun eclipsed, and the moon waning? for they have not [power to continue]: )
If I did behold the sunne, when it shined, or the moone, walking in her brightnes,
27 and if my heart was secretly deceived, and if I have laid my hand upon my mouth and kissed it:
If mine heart did flatter me in secrete, or if my mouth did kisse mine hand,
28 let this also then be reckoned to me as the greatest iniquity: for I [should] have lied against the Lord Most High.
(This also had bene an iniquitie to be condemned: for I had denied the God aboue)
29 And if too I was glad at the fall of mine enemies, and mine heart said, Aha!
If I reioyced at his destruction that hated me, or was mooued to ioye when euill came vpon him,
30 let then mine ear hear my curse, and let me be a byword amongst my people in my affliction.
Neither haue I suffred my mouth to sinne, by wishing a curse vnto his soule.
31 And if too my handmaids have often said, Oh that we might be satisfied with his flesh; (whereas I was very kind:
Did not the men of my Tabernacle say, Who shall giue vs of his flesh? we can not bee satisfied.
32 for the stranger did not lodge without, and my door was opened to every one that came: )
The stranger did not lodge in the streete, but I opened my doores vnto him, that went by the way.
33 or if too having sinned unintentionally, I hid my sin;
If I haue hid my sinne, as Adam, concealing mine iniquitie in my bosome,
34 (for I did not stand in awe of a great multitude, so as not to declare boldly before them: ) and if too I permitted a poor man to go out of my door with an empty bosom:
Though I could haue made afraid a great multitude, yet the most contemptible of the families did feare me: so I kept silence, and went not out of the doore.
35 (Oh that I had a hearer, ) and if I had not feared the hand of the Lord; and [as to] the written charge which I had against any one,
Oh that I had some to heare me! beholde my signe that the Almightie will witnesse for me: though mine aduersary should write a booke against me,
36 I would place [it] as a chaplet on my shoulders, and read it.
Woulde not I take it vpon my shoulder, and binde it as a crowne vnto me?
37 And if I did not read it and return it, having taken nothing from the debtor:
I will tell him the nomber of my goings, and goe vnto him as to a prince.
38 If at any time the land groaned against me, and if its furrows mourned together;
If my lande cry against me, or the furrowes thereof complayne together,
39 and if I ate its strength alone without price, and if I too grieved the heart of the owner of the soil, by taking [anything] from [him]:
If I haue eaten the fruites thereof without siluer: or if I haue grieued the soules of the masters thereof,
40 then let the nettle come up to me instead of wheat, and a bramble instead of barley. And Job ceased speaking.
Let thistles growe in steade of wheate, and cockle in the stead of Barley. The wordes of Iob are ended.
