Job 31
1 I made a couenant with mine eyes: why then should I thinke on a mayde?
A covenant I made for mine eyes, And what — do I attend to a virgin?
2 For what portion should I haue of God from aboue? and what inheritance of the Almightie from on hie?
And what [is] the portion of God from above? And the inheritance of the Mighty from the heights?
3 Is not destruction to the wicked and strange punishment to the workers of iniquitie?
Is not calamity to the perverse? And strangeness to workers of iniquity?
4 Doeth not he beholde my wayes and tell all my steps?
Doth not He see my ways, And all my steps number?
5 If I haue walked in vanitie, or if my foote hath made haste to deceite,
If I have walked with vanity, And my foot doth hasten to deceit,
6 Let God weigh me in the iust balance, and he shall know mine vprightnes.
He doth weigh me in righteous balances, And God doth 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 step doth turn aside from the way, And after mine eyes hath my heart gone, And to my hands cleaved hath blemish,
8 Let me sowe, and let another eate: yea, let my plantes be rooted out.
Let me sow — and another eat, And my products let 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 hath been enticed by woman, And by the opening of my neighbour I laid wait,
10 Let my wife grinde vnto another man, and let other men bow downe vpon her:
Grind to another let my wife, And over her let others bend.
11 For this is a wickednes, and iniquitie to bee condemned:
For it [is] a wicked thing, and a judicial iniquity;
12 Yea, this is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction, and which shall roote out al mine increase,
For a fire it [is], to destruction it consumeth, And among all mine increase doth take root,
13 If I did contemne the iudgement of my seruant, and of my mayde, when they did contend with me,
If I despise the cause of my man-servant, And of my handmaid, In their contending with me,
14 What then shall I do when God standeth vp? and when he shall visit me, what shall I answere?
Then what do I do when God ariseth? And when He doth inspect, What do 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? Yea, prepare us in the womb doth One.
16 If I restrained the poore of their desire, or haue caused the eyes of the widow to faile,
If I withhold from pleasure the poor, And the eyes of the widow do consume,
17 Or haue eaten my morsels alone, and the fatherles hath not eaten thereof,
And I do eat my morsel by myself, And the orphan hath not eat of it,
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)
(But from my youth He grew up with me as [with] a father, And from the belly of my mother I am led.)
19 If I haue seene any perish for want of clothing, or any poore without couering,
If I see [any] perishing without clothing, And there is no covering to the needy,
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 from the fleece of my sheep He doth not warm himself,
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 waved at the fatherless my hand, When I see in [him] the gate of my court,
22 Let mine arme fal from my shoulder, and mine arme be broken from the bone.
My shoulder from its blade let fall, And mine arm from the bone be broken.
23 For Gods punishment was fearefull vnto me, and I could not be deliuered from his highnes.
For a dread unto me [is] calamity [from] God, And because of His excellency I am not able.
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 confidence, And to the pure gold have said, 'My trust,'
25 If I reioyced because my substance was great, or because mine hand had gotten much,
If I rejoice because great [is] my wealth, And because abundance hath my hand found,
26 If I did behold the sunne, when it shined, or the moone, walking in her brightnes,
If I see the light when it shineth, And the precious moon walking,
27 If mine heart did flatter me in secrete, or if my mouth did kisse mine hand,
And my heart is enticed in secret, And my hand doth kiss my mouth,
28 (This also had bene an iniquitie to be condemned: for I had denied the God aboue)
It also [is] a judicial iniquity, For I had lied to God above.
29 If I reioyced at his destruction that hated me, or was mooued to ioye when euill came vpon him,
If I rejoice at the ruin of my hater, And stirred up myself when evil found him,
30 Neither haue I suffred my mouth to sinne, by wishing a curse vnto his soule.
Yea, I have not suffered my mouth to sin, To ask with an oath his life.
31 Did not the men of my Tabernacle say, Who shall giue vs of his flesh? we can not bee satisfied.
If not — say ye, O men of my tent, 'O that we had of his flesh, we are not satisfied.'
32 The stranger did not lodge in the streete, but I opened my doores vnto him, that went by the way.
In the street doth not lodge a stranger, My doors to the traveller I open.
33 If I haue hid my sinne, as Adam, concealing mine iniquitie in my bosome,
If I have covered as Adam my transgressions, To hide in my bosom mine iniquity,
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 fear a great multitude, And the contempt of families doth affright me, Then I am silent, I go not out of the opening.
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,
Who giveth to me a hearing? lo, my mark. The Mighty One doth answer me, And a bill hath mine adversary written.
36 Woulde not I take it vpon my shoulder, and binde it as a crowne vnto me?
If not — on my shoulder I take it up, I bind it a crown on myself.
37 I will tell him the nomber of my goings, and goe vnto him as to a prince.
The number of my steps I tell Him, As a leader I approach Him.
38 If my lande cry against me, or the furrowes thereof complayne together,
If against me my land doth cry out, And together its furrows weep,
39 If I haue eaten the fruites thereof without siluer: or if I haue grieued the soules of the masters thereof,
If its strength I consumed without money, And the life of its possessors, I have caused to breathe out,
40 Let thistles growe in steade of wheate, and cockle in the stead of Barley. The wordes of Iob are ended.
Instead of wheat let a thorn go forth, And instead of barley a useless weed! The words of Job are finished.
