Job 31

1 I made a couenant with mine eyes: why then should I thinke on a mayde?

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

2 For what portion should I haue of God from aboue? and what inheritance of the Almightie from on hie?

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 strange punishment to the workers of iniquitie?

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

4 Doeth not he beholde my wayes and tell all my steps?

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

5 If I haue walked in vanitie, or if my foote hath made haste to deceite,

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

6 Let God weigh me in the iust balance, and he shall know mine vprightnes.

(Let me be weighed in an even balance, and God will take knowledge of my blamelessness; )

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

8 Let me sowe, and let another eate: yea, let my plantes be rooted out.

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

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

10 Let my wife grinde vnto another man, and let other men bow downe vpon her:

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

11 For this is a wickednes, and iniquitie to bee condemned:

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

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 consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.

13 If I did contemne the iudgement of my seruant, and of my mayde, when they did contend with me,

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

14 What then shall I do when God standeth vp? and when he shall visit me, what shall I answere?

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

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 that made me in the womb make him? and did not One fashion 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 withheld the poor from [their] desire, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

17 Or haue eaten my morsels alone, and the fatherles hath not eaten thereof,

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

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)

(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 haue seene any perish for want of clothing, or any poore without couering,

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

20 If his loynes haue not blessed me, because he was warmed with the fleece of my sheepe,

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

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 an orphan, because I saw my help in the gate:

22 Let mine arme fal from my shoulder, and mine arme be broken from the bone.

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

23 For Gods punishment was fearefull vnto me, and I could not be deliuered from his highnes.

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

24 If I made gold mine hope, or haue sayd to the wedge of golde, Thou art my confidence,

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

25 If I reioyced because my substance was great, or because mine hand had gotten much,

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

26 If I did behold the sunne, when it shined, or the moone, walking in her brightnes,

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

27 If mine heart did flatter me in secrete, or if my mouth did kisse mine hand,

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

28 (This also had bene an iniquitie to be condemned: for I had denied the God aboue)

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

29 If I reioyced at his destruction that hated me, or was mooued to ioye when euill came vpon him,

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

30 Neither haue I suffred my mouth to sinne, by wishing a curse vnto his soule.

(Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by asking 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 tent said not, Who shall find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat? —

32 The stranger did not lodge in the streete, but I opened my doores vnto him, that went by the way.

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

33 If I haue hid my sinne, as Adam, concealing mine iniquitie in my bosome,

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

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 feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door, ...

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! Behold my signature: let the Almighty answer me! And let mine opponent write an accusation!

36 Woulde not I take it vpon my shoulder, and binde it as a crowne vnto me?

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

37 I will tell him the nomber of my goings, and goe vnto him 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 lande cry against me, or the furrowes thereof complayne together,

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

40 Let thistles growe in steade of wheate, and cockle in the stead of Barley. The wordes of Iob are ended.

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