Job 31
1 I made a couenant with mine eyes: why then should I thinke on a mayde?
“I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin?
2 For what portion should I haue of God from aboue? and what inheritance of the Almightie from on hie?
For what is the allotment of God from above, or the heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 Is not destruction to the wicked and strange punishment to the workers of iniquitie?
Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity?
4 Doeth not he beholde my wayes and tell all my steps?
Does He not see my ways and count my every step?
5 If I haue walked in vanitie, or if my foote hath made haste to deceite,
If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has rushed to deceit,
6 Let God weigh me in the iust balance, and he shall know mine vprightnes.
let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my integrity.
7 If my steppe hath turned out of the way, or mine heart hath walked after mine eye, or if any blot hath cleaued to mine handes,
If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands,
8 Let me sowe, and let another eate: yea, let my plantes be rooted out.
then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.
9 If mine heart hath bene deceiued by a woman, or if I haue layde wayte at the doore of my neighbour,
If my heart has been enticed by my neighbor’s wife, or I have lurked at his door,
10 Let my wife grinde vnto another man, and let other men bow downe vpon her:
then may my own wife grind grain for another, and may other men sleep with her.
11 For this is a wickednes, and iniquitie to bee condemned:
For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged.
12 Yea, this is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction, and which shall roote out al mine increase,
For it is a fire that burns down to Abaddon; it would root out my entire harvest.
13 If I did contemne the iudgement of my seruant, and of my mayde, when they did contend with me,
If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservant when they made a complaint against me,
14 What then shall I do when God standeth vp? and when he shall visit me, what shall I answere?
what will I do when God rises to judge? How will I answer when called to account?
15 He that hath made me in the wombe, hath he not made him? hath not he alone facioned vs in the wombe?
Did not He who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same One form us in the womb?
16 If I restrained the poore of their desire, or haue caused the eyes of the widow to faile,
If I have denied the desires of the poor or allowed the widow’s eyes to fail,
17 Or haue eaten my morsels alone, and the fatherles hath not eaten thereof,
if I have eaten my morsel alone, not sharing it with the fatherless—
18 (For from my youth hee hath growen vp with me as with a father, and from my mothers wombe I haue bene a guide vnto her)
though from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—
19 If I haue seene any perish for want of clothing, or any poore without couering,
if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak,
20 If his loynes haue not blessed me, because he was warmed with the fleece of my sheepe,
if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep,
21 If I haue lift vp mine hande against the fatherlesse, when I saw that I might helpe him in the gate,
if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate,
22 Let mine arme fal from my shoulder, and mine arme be broken from the bone.
then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket.
23 For Gods punishment was fearefull vnto me, and I could not be deliuered from his highnes.
For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.
24 If I made gold mine hope, or haue sayd to the wedge of golde, Thou art my confidence,
If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security,
25 If I reioyced because my substance was great, or because mine hand had gotten much,
if I have rejoiced in my great wealth because my hand had gained so much,
26 If I did behold the sunne, when it shined, or the moone, walking in her brightnes,
if I have beheld the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor,
27 If mine heart did flatter me in secrete, or if my mouth did kisse mine hand,
so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,
28 (This also had bene an iniquitie to be condemned: for I had denied the God aboue)
this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have denied God on high.
29 If I reioyced at his destruction that hated me, or was mooued to ioye when euill came vpon him,
If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin, or exulted when evil befell him—
30 Neither haue I suffred my mouth to sinne, by wishing a curse vnto his soule.
I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse—
31 Did not the men of my Tabernacle say, Who shall giue vs of his flesh? we can not bee satisfied.
if the men of my house have not said, ‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’—
32 The stranger did not lodge in the streete, but I opened my doores vnto him, that went by the way.
but no stranger had to lodge on the street, for my door has been open to the traveler—
33 If I haue hid my sinne, as Adam, concealing mine iniquitie in my bosome,
if I have covered my transgressions like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart,
34 Though I could haue made afraid a great multitude, yet the most contemptible of the families did feare me: so I kept silence, and went not out of the doore.
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 Oh that I had some to heare me! beholde my signe that the Almightie will witnesse for me: though mine aduersary should write a booke against me,
(Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser compose an indictment.
36 Woulde not I take it vpon my shoulder, and binde it as a crowne vnto me?
Surely I would carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown.
37 I will tell him the nomber of my goings, and goe vnto him as to a prince.
I would give account of all my steps; I would approach Him like a prince.)—
38 If my lande cry against me, or the furrowes thereof complayne together,
if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together,
39 If I haue eaten the fruites thereof without siluer: or if I haue grieued the soules of the masters thereof,
if I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants,
40 Let thistles growe in steade of wheate, and cockle in the stead of Barley. The wordes of Iob are ended.
then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job.
