Job 31

1 I made a covenant with my eyes, that I would not so much as think upon a virgin.

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

2 For what part should God from above have in me, and what inheritance the Almighty from on high?

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

3 Is not destruction to the wicked, and aversion to them that work iniquity?

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

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

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

5 If I have walked in vanity, and my foot hath made haste to deceit:

If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot hath hasted 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, and God will take knowledge of my blamelessness; )

7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and if my heart hath followed my eyes, and if a spot hath cleaved to my hands:

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

8 Then let me sow and let another eat: and let my offspring be rooted out.

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

9 If my heart hath been deceived upon a woman, and if I have laid wait at my friend’s door:

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

10 Let my wife be the harlot of another, and let other men lie with her.

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

11 For this is a heinous crime, and a most grievous iniquity.

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

12 It is a fire that devoureth even to destruction, and rooteth up all things that spring.

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

13 If I have despised to abide judgment with my manservant, or my maidservant, when they had any controversy against me:

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

14 For what shall I do when God shall rise to judge? and when he shall examine, what shall I answer him?

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

15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him also: and did not one and the same form me 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 denied to the poor what they desired, and have made the eyes of the widow wait:

If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

17 If I have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof:

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

18 (For from my infancy mercy grew up with me: and it came out with me from my mother’s womb: )

(For from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided the [widow] from my mother's womb; )

19 If I have despised him that was perishing for want of clothing, and the poor man that had no covering:

If I have seen any perishing for want of clothing, or any needy without covering;

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

If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my lambs;

21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, even when I saw myself superior in the gate:

If I have lifted up my hand against an orphan, because I saw my help in the gate:

22 Let my shoulder fall from its joint, and let my arm with its bones be broken.

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

23 For I have always feared God as waves swelling over me, and his weight I was not able to bear.

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

24 If I have thought gold my strength, and have said to fine gold: My confidence:

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

25 If I have rejoiced over my great riches, and because my hand had gotten much.

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

26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, and the moon going in brightness:

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

27 And my heart in secret hath rejoiced, and I have kissed my hand with my mouth:

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

28 Which is a very great iniquity, and a denial against the most high God.

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

29 If I have been glad at the downfall of him that hated me, and have rejoiced that evil had found him.

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

30 For I have not given my mouth to sin, by wishing a curse to his soul.

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

31 If the men of my tabernacle have not said: Who will give us of his flesh that we may be filled?

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

32 The stranger did not stay without, my door was open to the traveller.

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

33 If as a man I have hid my sin, and have concealed my iniquity in my bosom.

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

34 If I have been afraid at a very great multitude, and the contempt of kinsmen hath terrified me: and I have not rather held my peace, and not gone out of the door.

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, ...

35 Who would grant me a hearer, that the Almighty may hear my desire; and that he himself that judgeth would write a book,

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

36 That I may carry it on my shoulder, and put it about me as a crown?

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

37 At every step of mine I would pronounce it, and offer it as to a prince.

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

38 If my land cry against me, and with it the furrows thereof mourn:

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

39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have afflicted the soul of the tillers thereof:

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

40 Let thistles grow up to me instead of wheat, and thorns instead of barley.

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