Job 31
1 I reached an agreement with my eyes, that I would not so much as think about a virgin.
I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then should I look with desire 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 the portion from God above, the inheritance from the Almighty on high?
3 Is not destruction held for the wicked and repudiation kept for those who work injustice?
I used to think that calamity is for unrighteous people, and that disaster is for doers of wickedness.
4 Does he not examine my ways and number all my steps?
Does not God see my ways and count all my steps?
5 If I have walked in vanity, or if my foot has hurried towards deceitfulness,
If I have walked with falsehood, if my foot has hurried to deceit,
6 let him weigh me in a just balance, and let God know my simplicity.
let me be weighed in an even balance so that God will know my integrity.
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 step has turned aside from the way, if my heart has gone after my eyes, if any spot has stuck to my hands,
8 then may I sow, and let another consume, and let my offspring be eradicated.
then let me sow, and let another eat, and let my crops 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 has been deceived by a woman, if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door,
10 then let my wife be the harlot of another, and let other men lean over her.
then let my wife grind grain for another, and let others bow down on her.
11 For this is a crime and a very great injustice.
For that would be a terrible crime; indeed, it would be a crime to be punished by judges.
12 It is a fire devouring all the way to perdition, and it roots out all that springs forth.
For that is a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn all my harvest to the root.
13 If I have despised being subject to judgment with my servant or my maid, when they had any complaint against me,
If I ignored the plea for justice from my male or female servant when they argued 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 would I do when God rises up to accuse me? When he comes to judge me, how would I answer him?
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 the one who made me in the womb not make them also? Did not the same one mold us all in the womb?
16 If I have denied the poor what they wanted and have made the eyes of the widow wait;
If I have withheld poor people from their desire, or if I have caused the eyes of the widow to grow dim from crying,
17 if I have eaten my morsel of food alone, while orphans have not eaten from it;
or if I have eaten my morsel alone and not allowed those without fathers to eat it also—
18 (for from my infancy mercy grew with me, and it came out with me from my mother’s womb; )
because from my youth the orphan grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided his mother, a widow, from my own mother's womb.
19 if I have looked down on him who was perishing because he had no clothing and the poor without any covering,
If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or if I have seen that a needy man had no clothing;
20 if his sides have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
if his heart has not blessed me because he has not been warmed with the wool of my sheep,
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 I have lifted up my hand against fatherless people because I saw my support in the city gate, then bring charges against me!
22 then may my shoulder fall from its joint, and may my arm, with all its bones, be broken.
If I have done these things, then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and let my arm be broken from its joint.
23 For I have always feared God, like waves flowing over me, whose weight I was unable to bear.
For I dreaded destruction from God; because of his majesty, I was not able to do those things.
24 If I have considered gold to be my strength, or if I have called purified gold ‘my Trust;’
If I have made gold my hope, and if I have said to fine gold, 'You are what I am confident in';
25 if I have rejoiced over my great success, and over the many things my hand has obtained;
if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, because my hand had gotten many possessions, then bring charges against me!
26 if I gazed upon the sun when it shined and the moon advancing brightly,
If I have seen the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in its brightness,
27 so that my heart rejoiced in secret and I kissed my hand with my mouth,
and if my heart has been secretly attracted, so that my mouth has kissed my hand in worship of them—
28 which is a very great iniquity and a denial against the most high God;
this also would be a crime to be punished by judges, for I would have denied the God who is above.
29 if I have been glad at the ruin of him who hated me and have exulted that evil found him,
If I have rejoiced at the destruction of anyone who hated me or congratulated myself when disaster overtook him, then bring charges against me!
30 for I have not been given my throat to sin by asking for a curse on his soul;
Indeed, I have not even allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse.
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 have never said, 'Who can find one who has not been filled with Job's food?'
32 for the foreigner did not remain at the door, my door was open to the traveler;
(even the foreigner has never had to stay in the city square, because I have always opened my doors to the traveler), and if that is not so, then bring charges against me!
33 if, as man does, I have hidden my sin and have concealed my iniquity in my bosom;
If, like mankind, I have hidden my sins by hiding my guilt inside my tunic
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;
(because I feared the great multitude, because the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside), then bring charges against me!
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,
Oh, if only I had someone to hear me! See, here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me! If only I had the indictment that my opponent has written!
36 which I would then carry on my shoulder and wrap around me like a crown?
Surely I would carry it openly on my shoulder; I would put it on like a crown.
37 With each of my steps, I would pronounce and offer it, as if to a prince.
I would declare to him an accounting for my steps; as a confident prince I would go up to him.
38 So, if my land cries out against me, and if its furrows weep with it,
If my land ever cries out against me, and its furrows weep together,
39 if I have used its fruits for nothing but money and have afflicted the souls of its tillers,
if I have eaten its harvest without paying for it or have caused its owners to lose their lives,
40 then, may thistles spring forth for me instead of grain, and thorns instead of barley. (This ended the words of Job.)
then let thorns grow instead of wheat and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are finished.
