Job 31

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

I made a covenant with mine eyes; How then could I gaze upon a maid?

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

For what is the portion appointed by God from above, And the inheritance allotted by the Almighty from on high?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then what shall I do when God riseth up? And when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?

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

Did not He that made me in the womb make him? Did not one fashion us in the womb?

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

If I have refused the poor their desire, And caused the eyes of the widow 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, And the fatherless hath not partaken of it;

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

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

If I have seen any one perishing for want of clothing, Or any poor man without covering;

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

If his loins have not blessed me, And he hath not been warmed 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 shaken my hand against the fatherless, Because I saw my help in the gate, —

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

Then may my shoulder fill from its blade, And my fore-arm be broken from its bone!

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 destruction from God was a terror to me, And before his majesty I could do nothing.

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

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

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

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

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 his splendor, Or the moon advancing in brightness,

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

And my heart hath been secretly enticed, And my mouth hath kissed my hand,

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

This also were a crime to be punished by the judge; For I should have denied the God who is above.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have I, after the manner of men, hidden my transgression, Concealing my iniquity in my bosom,

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?

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 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.

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

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

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

I would disclose to him 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 cry out against me, And its furrows bewail together;

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

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

40 then let thorns grow instead of wheat, and weeds 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.