Job 31

1 I made a covenant with mine eyes, and I will not think upon a virgin.

I MADE a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

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 of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

3 Alas! destruction to the unrighteous, and rejection to them that do iniquity.

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

4 Will he not see my way, and number all my steps?

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

5 But if I had gone with scorners, and if too my foot has hasted to deceit:

If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;

6 (for I am weighed in a just balance, and the Lord knows my innocence: )

Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.

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 step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;

8 then let me sow, and let others eat; and let me be uprooted on the earth.

Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring 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 have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door;

10 then let my wife also please another, and let my children be brought low.

Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.

11 For the rage of anger is not to be controlled, [in the case] of defiling [another] man's wife.

For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

12 For it is a fire burning on every side, and whoever it attacks, it utterly destroys.

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

13 And if too I despised the judgement of my servant or [my] handmaid, when they pleaded with me;

If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended 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 riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?

15 Were not they too formed as I also was formed in the womb? yes, we were formed in the same womb.

Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?

16 But the helpless missed not whatever need they had, and I did not cause the eye of the widow to fail.

If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

17 And if too I ate my morsel alone, and did not impart [of it] to the orphan;

Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless 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 he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother’s womb; )

19 And if too I overlooked the naked as he was perishing, and did not clothe him;

If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;

20 and if the poor did not bless me, and their shoulders were [not] warmed with the fleece of my lambs;

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

21 if I lifted my hand against an orphan, trusting that my strength was far superior [to his]:

If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:

22 let them my shoulder start from the blade-bone, and my arm be crushed off from the elbow.

Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm 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 destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

24 If I made gold my treasure, and if too I trusted the precious stone;

If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, 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 rejoiced because my wealth was great, and 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 beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;

27 and if my heart was secretly deceived, and if I have laid my hand upon my mouth and kissed it:

And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my 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 were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.

29 And if too I was glad at the fall of mine enemies, and mine heart said, Aha!

If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:

30 let then mine ear hear my curse, and let me be a byword amongst my people in my affliction.

Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

31 And if too my handmaids have often said, Oh that we might be satisfied with his flesh; (whereas I was very kind:

If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be 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 street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.

33 or if too having sinned unintentionally, I hid my sin;

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

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:

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 (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 one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.

36 I would place [it] as a chaplet on my shoulders, and read it.

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

37 And if I did not read it and return it, having taken nothing from the debtor:

I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.

38 If at any time the land groaned against me, and if its furrows mourned together;

If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;

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

40 then let the nettle come up to me instead of wheat, and a bramble instead of barley. And Job ceased speaking.

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