Job 31

1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; and how should I fix my regard upon a maid?

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

2 For what would have been [my] portion of God from above, and what the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

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

3 Is not calamity for the unrighteous? and misfortune for the workers of iniquity?

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

4 Doth not he see my ways, and number all my steps?

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

5 If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot hath hasted to deceit,

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

6 (Let me be weighed in an even balance, and God will take knowledge of my blamelessness; )

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

7 If my step have turned out of the way, and my heart followed mine eyes, and if any blot cleaveth to my hands;

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

8 Let me sow, and another eat; and let mine offspring be rooted out.

Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.

9 If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, so that I laid wait at my neighbour's door,

If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door;

10 Let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down upon her.

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

11 For this is an infamy; yea, it is an iniquity [to be judged by] the judges:

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

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

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

13 If I have despised the cause of my bondman or of my bondmaid, when they contended with me,

If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;

14 What then should I do when God riseth up? and if he visited, what should I answer him?

What then shall I do when God rises up? and when he visits, what shall I answer him?

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

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

16 If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire, or caused the eyes 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 Or have eaten my morsel alone, so that the fatherless ate not thereof,

Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless has not eaten thereof;

18 (For from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided the [widow] 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 If I have seen any perishing for want of clothing, or any needy without covering;

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

20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he 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 have lifted up my hand against an orphan, because I saw my help in the gate:

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

22 [Then] let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone!

Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.

23 For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his excellency I was powerless.

For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

24 If I have made gold my hope, or said to the fine gold, My confidence!

If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, You are my confidence;

25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;

If I rejoice because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had got much;

26 If I beheld the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in brightness,

If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;

27 And my heart have been secretly enticed, so that my mouth kissed my hand:

And my heart has been secretly enticed, or my mouth has kissed my hand:

28 This also would be an iniquity for the judge, for I should have denied the God who is above.

This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.

29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, and exulted when evil befell him;

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

30 (Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse; )

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

31 If the men of my tent said not, Who shall find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat? —

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

32 The stranger did not lodge without; I opened my doors to the pathway.

The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.

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

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

34 Because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the 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 Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold my signature: let the Almighty answer me! And let mine opponent write an accusation!

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 Would I not take it upon my shoulder? I would bind it on to me [as] a crown;

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

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

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

38 If my land cry out against me, and its furrows weep together;

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

39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have tormented to death the souls of its owners:

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

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

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