Job 31

1 I reached an agreement with my eyes, that I would not so much as think about a virgin.

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

2 For what portion should God from above hold for me, and what inheritance should the Almighty from on high keep?

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

3 Is not destruction held for the wicked and repudiation kept for those who work injustice?

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

4 Does he not examine my ways and number all my steps?

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

5 If I have walked in vanity, or if my foot has hurried towards deceitfulness,

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

6 let him weigh me in a just balance, and let God know my simplicity.

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

7 If my steps have turned aside from the way, or if my heart has followed my eyes, or if a blemish has clung to my hands,

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;

8 then may I sow, and let another consume, and let my offspring be eradicated.

Let me put seed in the earth for another to have the fruit of it, and let my produce be uprooted.

9 If my heart has been deceived over a woman, or if I have waited in ambush at my friend’s door,

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

10 then let my wife be the harlot of another, and let other men lean over her.

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

11 For this is a crime and a very great injustice.

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

12 It is a fire devouring all the way to perdition, and it roots out all that springs forth.

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

13 If I have despised being subject to judgment with my servant or my maid, when they had any complaint against me,

If I did wrong in the cause of my man-servant, or my woman-servant, when they went to law with me;

14 then what will I do when God rises to judge, and, when he inquires, how will I respond to him?

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

15 Is not he who created me in the womb, also he who labored to make him? And did not one and the same form me in the womb?

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

16 If I have denied the poor what they wanted and have made the eyes of the widow wait;

If I kept back the desire of the poor; if the widow's eye was looking for help to no purpose;

17 if I have eaten my morsel of food alone, while orphans have not eaten from it;

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

18 (for from my infancy mercy grew with me, and it came out with me from my mother’s womb; )

(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; )

19 if I have looked down on him who was perishing because he had no clothing and the poor without any covering,

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

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

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

21 if I have lifted up my hand over an orphan, even when it might seem to me that I have the advantage over him at the gate;

If my hand had been lifted up against him who had done no wrong, when I saw that I was supported by the judges;

22 then may my shoulder fall from its joint, and may my arm, with all its bones, be broken.

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

23 For I have always feared God, like waves flowing over me, whose weight I was unable to bear.

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

24 If I have considered gold to be my strength, or if I have called purified gold ‘my Trust;’

If I made gold my hope, or if I ever said to the best gold, I have put my faith in you;

25 if I have rejoiced over my great success, and over the many things my hand has obtained;

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

26 if I gazed upon the sun when it shined and the moon advancing brightly,

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

27 so that my heart rejoiced in secret and I kissed my hand with my mouth,

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

28 which is a very great iniquity and a denial against the most high God;

That would have been another sin to be rewarded with punishment by the judges; for I would have been false to God on high.

29 if I have been glad at the ruin of him who hated me and have exulted that evil found him,

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

30 for I have not been given my throat to sin by asking for a curse on his soul;

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

31 if the men around my tabernacle have not said: “He might give us some of his food, so that we will be filled,”

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

32 for the foreigner did not remain at the door, my door was open to the traveler;

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

33 if, as man does, I have hidden my sin and have concealed my iniquity in my bosom;

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

34 if I became frightened by an excessive crowd, and the disrespect of close relatives alarmed me, so that I would much rather have remained silent or have gone out the door;

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;

35 then, would he grant me a hearing, so that the Almighty would listen to my desire, and he who judges would himself write a book,

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!

36 which I would then carry on my shoulder and wrap around me like a crown?

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

37 With each of my steps, I would pronounce and offer it, as if to a prince.

I would make clear the number of my steps, I would put it before him like a prince! The words of Job are ended.

38 So, if my land cries out against me, and if its furrows weep with it,

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

39 if I have used its fruits for nothing but money and have afflicted the souls of its tillers,

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

40 then, may thistles spring forth for me instead of grain, and thorns instead of barley. (This ended the words of Job.)

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