Job 31

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

A covenant, I solemnised for mine eyes, —How then could I gaze upon a virgin?

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

Or what would have been my portion of GOD from above? Or what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

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

Is there not calamity, for the perverse? and misfortune, for the workers of iniquity?

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

Would, he, not see my ways? and of all my steps, take account?

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

Verily I walked not in falsity, nor did my foot haste unto deceit: —

6 Let him weigh me in a just balance, and let God know my simplicity.

Let him weigh me in balances of righteousness, —and let GOD take note of mine integrity!

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 goings have swerved from the way, —and, after mine eyes, hath gone my heart, and, to my hands, hath adhered any stain,

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

Let me sow but, another, eat. And let, what I have springing up, be uprooted!

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

If my heart hath been enticed unto a woman, or, by the door of my neighbour, I have lien in wait,

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

Let my wife, grind to another, and, over her, let others bend!

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

Surely that had been a shameful thing! and that an iniquity for the judges!

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

Surely, a fire, had that been, which, unto destruction, would have consumed, and, of all mine increase, had it torn up the root.

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

If I refused the right of my servant, or my handmaid, 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 could I have done when GOD rose up? And, when he visited, what could I have answered 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 who, in the womb, made me, make him? And is not he who formed us in the body one?

16 If I have denied to the poor what they desired, and have made the eyes of the widow wait:

If I withheld—from pleasure—the poor, or, the eyes of the widow, I dimmed;

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

Or, used to eat my morsel alone, so that the fatherless did not eat thereof;

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

Surely, from my youth, he grew up to me, as to a father, and, from my birth, I acted as guide to her:

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

If I saw one perishing for lack of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;

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

If his loins did not bless me, or if, with the fleece of my lambs, he did not warm himself;

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

If I shook—against the fatherless—my hand, when I saw, in the gate, his need of my help,

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

Let, my shoulder, from the shoulder-blade, fall, and, my arm, from the upper bone, be broken;

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

For, a dread unto me, was calamity from GOD, and, from his majesty, I could not escape.

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

If I made gold my stay, and, to precious metal, said, My confidence!

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

If I rejoiced because great was my substance, and, an abundance, my hand had discovered;

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

If I looked at the sun, when it flashed forth light, or at the moon, majestically marching along;

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

And befooled secretly was my heart, so that my hand kissed my mouth,

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

That too, had been a judicial iniquity, For I should have been false to GOD, above.

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

If rejoiced in the misfortune of him that hated me, or exulted when calamity found him; —

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

Neither did I suffer my palate to sin, by asking, with a curse, for his life:

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 household have not said, Oh for some of his flesh—we cannot get filled,

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

Outside, the sojourner lodged not for the night, My doors—to the wayfarer, I threw open.

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

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

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.

Then let me be made to tremble at a great throng, yea let, the contempt of families, terrify me, so that, keeping silence, I shall not go 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, Lo! my crossmark, May, the Almighty, answer me! And would that, a book, mine opponent had written!

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

Oh! would I not, upon my shoulder, lift it, or bind it as a crown upon me;

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

The number of my footsteps, I would declare to him, Like a noble, would I draw near to him.

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

If, against me, my ground used to cry out, and, together, my ridges did weep;

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

If, the strength thereof, I used to eat, without payment, and, the soul of the holders thereof, I made groan;

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

Instead of wheat, let there come forth bramble, and, instead of barley, a bad-smelling weed! Ended are the words of Job.