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; How then could I gaze 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 is the portion appointed by God from above, And the inheritance allotted by the Almighty from on high?

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

Is not destruction for the wicked, And ruin for the workers of iniquity?

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

Doth He not see my ways, And number all my steps?

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

If I have walked with falsehood, And if my foot hath hasted to deceit,

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

Let him weigh me in an even balance; Yea, let God know my 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 steps have turned aside from the way, And my heart gone after mine eyes, Or if any stain hath cleaved to my hand,

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

Then I may sow, and another eat; And what I plant, may it be rooted up!

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

If my heart hath been enticed by a woman, Or if I have watched at my neighbor's door,

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

Then let my wife grind for another, And let other men lie with her!

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

For this were a heinous crime, Even a transgression to be punished by the judges;

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

Yea, it were a fire that would consume to destruction, And root out all my increase.

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

If I have refused justice to my man-servant or maid-servant, When they had a controversy with me,

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

Then what shall I do when God riseth up? And when he visiteth, 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? 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 refused the poor their desire, And caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

17 Or have eaten my morsel alone, so that the fatherless ate not thereof,

If I have eaten my morsel alone, And the fatherless hath not partaken of it;

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; )

(Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, And I have helped the widow 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 one perishing for want of clothing, Or any poor man 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 he hath not been 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 shaken my hand against the fatherless, Because 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 may my shoulder fill from its blade, And my fore-arm be broken from its 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 before his majesty I could do nothing.

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

If I have made gold my trust, Or said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;

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

If I have rejoiced, because my wealth was great, And my hand had found abundance;

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

If I have beheld the sun in his splendor, Or the moon advancing in brightness,

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

And my heart hath been secretly enticed, And my mouth hath 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 a crime to be punished by the judge; For I should have denied the God who is above.

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

If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, And exulted when evil came upon him;

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

(Nay, I have not suffered my mouth to sin, By asking with curses his life; )

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 tent have not exclaimed, “Who is there that hath not been satisfied with his meat?”

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

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

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

Have I, after the manner of men, hidden my transgression, Concealing my 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, ...

Then let me be confounded before the great multitude! Let the contempt of families cover me with shame! Yea, let me keep silence! let me never appear abroad!

35 Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold my signature: let the Almighty answer me! And let mine opponent write an accusation!

O that there were one who would hear me! Behold my signature! let the Almighty answer me. And let mine adversary write down his charge!

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

Truly I would wear it upon my shoulder; I would bind it upon me as a crown.

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

I would disclose to him all my steps; I would approach him like a prince.

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

If my land cry out against me, And its furrows bewail together;

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

If I have eaten of its fruits without payment, And wrung out the life of its owners,

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

Let thorns grow up instead of wheat, And noxious weeds instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.