Job 31

1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; how then should I look upon a maid?

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

2 For what would be the portion of God from above, and the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

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

3 Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?

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

4 Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps?

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

5 If I have walked with vanity, and my foot hath hasted to deceit —

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

6 Let me be weighed in a just balance, that God may know mine integrity —

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

7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and my heart walked after mine eyes, and if any spot hath cleaved to 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 me sow, and let another eat; yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

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

9 If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbour's door;

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

10 Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.

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

11 For that were a heinous crime; yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

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

12 For it is a fire that consumeth unto destruction, and would root out all mine increase.

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

13 If I did despise the cause of my man-servant, or of my maid-servant, when they contended 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 riseth up? And when He remembereth, what shall I answer Him?

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

15 Did not He that made me in the womb make him? And did not One fashion us in the womb?

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 have withheld aught that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

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

17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof —

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

18 Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have been her guide from my mother's womb.

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

19 If I have seen any wanderer in want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;

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

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

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

21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate;

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 fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.

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

23 For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of His majesty I could do nothing.

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

24 If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold: 'Thou art my confidence';

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

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

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

26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;

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

27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, and my mouth hath kissed my hand;

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

28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for I should have lied to God that is above.

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

29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or exulted when evil found him —

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

30 Yea, I suffered not my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse.

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

31 If the men of my tent said not: 'Who can find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat?'

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 street; my doors I opened to the roadside.

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

33 If after the manner of men I covered my transgressions, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom —

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

34 Because I feared the great multitude, and the most contemptible among families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door.

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 one to hear me! — Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me — and that I had the indictment which mine adversary hath written!

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

36 Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown.

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

37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.

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

38 If my land cry out against me, and the furrows thereof weep together;

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

39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the tillers thereof to be disappointed —

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

40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and noisome 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.