Job 31

1 I vowed to myself never to look with desire at young women.

“I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin?

2 What should people expect to receive from God? What reward should the Almighty on high give them?

For what is the allotment of God from above, or the heritage from the Almighty on high?

3 Isn't it disaster for the wicked and destruction for those who do wrong?

Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity?

4 Doesn't God see everything I do—even count every step I take?

Does He not see my ways and count my every step?

5 Have I lived a deceitful life? Have I been eager to tell lies?

If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has rushed to deceit,

6 No! Let God weigh me on the scales of his justice and let him discover my integrity.

let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my integrity.

7 If I have wandered from God's way, if I have let what I see become my desires, if there's any stain of sin on my hands,

If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands,

8 then let someone else eat what I have sown, and all that I have grown be uprooted.

then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.

9 If a woman has seduced me, or if I have looked for an opportunity to sleep with my neighbor's wife,

If my heart has been enticed by my neighbor’s wife, or I have lurked at his door,

10 then let my wife serve another, let other men sleep with her.

then may my own wife grind grain for another, and may other men sleep with her.

11 For that would be wicked, a sin deserving punishment,

For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged.

12 for this sin is like a fire that leads to destruction, destroying everything I have.

For it is a fire that burns down to Abaddon; it would root out my entire harvest.

13 If I had refused to listen to my menservants or maidservants when they brought their complaints to me,

If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservant when they made a complaint against me,

14 what would I do when God came to judge me? How would I reply if he investigated me?

what will I do when God rises to judge? How will I answer when called to account?

15 Didn't the same God make all of us?

Did not He who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same One form us in the womb?

16 Have I refused to give the poor what they needed, or caused widows to despair?

If I have denied the desires of the poor or allowed the widow’s eyes to fail,

17 Have I even eaten just a piece of bread by myself? Haven't I always shared my food with orphans?

if I have eaten my morsel alone, not sharing it with the fatherless—

18 From when I was young I was a father to orphans and took care of widows.

though from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—

19 If ever I saw someone needing clothes, the poor without anything to wear,

if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak,

20 they always thanked me for the wool clothing that kept them warm.

if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep,

21 If I raised my hand to hit an orphan, confident that if it came to court the judges would be on my side,

if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate,

22 then let my shoulder be pulled from its joint, my arm wrenched out of its socket.

then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket.

23 Since I'm terrified of what punishment God may have in store for me, and because of his majesty, I could never do this.

For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.

24 Have I put my trust in gold, calling fine gold, ‘My security’?

If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security,

25 Have I delighted in being rich, happy at all my wealth I had gained?

if I have rejoiced in my great wealth because my hand had gained so much,

26 Have I looked at the sun shining so brilliantly or the moon moving in majesty across the sky

if I have beheld the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor,

27 and been tempted to secretly worship them by kissing my hand to them in devotion?

so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,

28 This too would be a sin deserving punishment for it would mean I had denied God above.

this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have denied God on high.

29 Have I ever been happy when disaster destroyed those who hated me, or celebrated when evil took them down?

If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin, or exulted when evil befell him—

30 I have never allowed my mouth to sin by putting a curse on someone's life.

I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse—

31 Haven't my family asked, ‘Is there anyone who has not eaten as much as they wanted of his food?’

if the men of my house have not said, ‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’—

32 I have never let strangers sleep in the street; I have opened my doors to travelers.

but no stranger had to lodge on the street, for my door has been open to the traveler—

33 Have I concealed my sins from others, hiding my wrongdoing deep inside me?

if I have covered my transgressions like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart,

34 Was I afraid of what everybody else would think, scared of the contempt families would show me, so that I kept quiet and didn't go outside?

because I greatly feared the crowds and the contempt of the clans terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside—

35 Why won't anyone listen to what I'm saying! I'm signing my name to endorse everything I've said. Let the Almighty answer me. Let my accuser write down what he is charging me with.

(Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser compose an indictment.

36 I would hold them up high; I would wear them on my head like a crown.

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown.

37 I would explain to him everything I'd done; I would hold my head high before him.

I would give account of all my steps; I would approach Him like a prince.)—

38 If my land has cried out against me; if her furrows have wept over me;

if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together,

39 if I have taken its crops without payment or if I have caused harm to the farmers;

if I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants,

40 then let thorns grow instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.

then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job.