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 my eyes; how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?
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 from God above, and the heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 Is not calamity for the unrighteous? and misfortune for the workers of iniquity?
Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?
4 Doth not he see my ways, and number all my steps?
Doesn’t 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 falsehood, and my foot has hurried 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 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 step has turned out of the way, if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to my hands,
8 Let me sow, and another eat; and let mine offspring be rooted out.
then let me sow, and let another eat. Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.
9 If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, so that I laid wait at my neighbour's door,
“If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait 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 others sleep with her.
11 For this is an infamy; yea, it is an iniquity [to be judged by] the judges:
For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be 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 my increase.
13 If I have despised the cause of my bondman or of my bondmaid, when they contended with me,
“If I have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, 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 will I do when God rises up? When he visits, what will I answer him?
15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not One fashion us in the womb?
Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him? Didn’t 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 alone, and the fatherless has not eaten 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; )
(no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, 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 want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my lambs;
if his heart hasn’t blessed me, if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece;
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, 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 let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my 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 calamity from God is a terror to me. Because of his majesty, I can do nothing.
24 If I have made gold my hope, or said to the fine gold, My confidence!
“If I have made gold my hope, and 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 have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;
26 If I beheld the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in brightness,
if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor,
27 And my heart have been secretly enticed, so that my mouth kissed my hand:
and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth;
28 This also would be an iniquity for the judge, for I should have denied the God who is above.
this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would 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 who 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; )
(I have certainly not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse);
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 said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’
32 The stranger did not lodge without; I opened my doors to the pathway.
(the foreigner has not camped in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler);
33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,
if like Adam I have covered my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
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, ...
because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and didn’t go 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 I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me! Let the accuser write my indictment!
36 Would I not take it upon my shoulder? I would bind it on to me [as] a crown;
Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, and I would bind it to 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 declare to him the number of my steps. I would go near to him like a prince.
38 If my land cry out against me, and its furrows weep together;
If my land cries out against me, and its furrows weep 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 its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life,
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and tares instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
let briers grow instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
