Job 31
1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; how then should I look upon a maid?
I made a covenant with mine eyes; and how should I fix my regard upon a maid?
2 For what would be the portion of God from above, and the heritage of the Almighty from on high?
For what would have been [my] portion of God from above, and what the heritage of the Almighty from on high?
3 Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?
Is not calamity for the unrighteous? and misfortune for the workers of iniquity?
4 Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps?
Doth not he see my ways, and number all my steps?
5 If I have walked with vanity, and my foot hath hasted to deceit —
If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot hath hasted to deceit,
6 Let me be weighed in a just balance, that God may know mine integrity —
(Let me be weighed in an even balance, and God will take knowledge of my blamelessness; )
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 step have turned out of the way, and my heart followed mine eyes, and if any blot cleaveth to my hands;
8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out.
Let me sow, and another eat; and let mine offspring be rooted out.
9 If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbour's door;
If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, so that I laid wait at my neighbour's door,
10 Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
Let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down upon her.
11 For that were a heinous crime; yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
For this is an infamy; yea, it is an iniquity [to be judged by] the judges:
12 For it is a fire that consumeth unto destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
13 If I did despise the cause of my man-servant, or of my maid-servant, when they contended 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 riseth up? And when He remembereth, what shall I answer Him?
What then should I do when God riseth up? and if he visited, what should I answer him?
15 Did not He that made me in the womb make him? And did not One fashion us in the womb?
Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not One fashion 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 withheld the poor from [their] desire, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof —
Or have eaten my morsel alone, so that the fatherless ate not thereof,
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.
(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 have seen any wanderer in want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;
If I have seen any perishing for want of clothing, or any needy without covering;
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my lambs;
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 an orphan, because I saw my help in the gate:
22 Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
[Then] let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone!
23 For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of His majesty I could do nothing.
For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his excellency I was powerless.
24 If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold: 'Thou art my confidence';
If I have made gold my hope, or said to the fine gold, My confidence!
25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;
If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;
26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
If I beheld the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in brightness,
27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, and my mouth hath kissed my hand;
And my heart have been secretly enticed, so that my mouth kissed my hand:
28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for I should have lied to God that is above.
This also would be an iniquity for the judge, for I should have denied the God who is above.
29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or exulted when evil found him —
If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, and exulted when evil befell him;
30 Yea, I suffered not my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse.
(Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by asking 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 tent said not, Who shall find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat? —
32 The stranger did not lodge in the street; my doors I opened to the roadside.
The stranger did not lodge without; I opened my doors to the pathway.
33 If after the manner of men I covered my transgressions, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom —
If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,
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 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 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! Behold my signature: let the Almighty answer me! And let mine opponent write an accusation!
36 Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown.
Would I not take it upon my shoulder? I would bind it on to me [as] a crown;
37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.
I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I come near to him.
38 If my land cry out against me, and the furrows thereof weep together;
If my land cry 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 eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have tormented to death the souls of its owners:
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and noisome weeds instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and tares instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
