Job 31

1 I MADE a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

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

2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance 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 not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment 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, or if 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 an even 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 mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine 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 my offspring be rooted out.

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

9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid 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 this is an heinous crime; yea, it is 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 to 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 manservant or of my maidservant, 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 visiteth, 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 the poor from their desire, 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 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her 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 perish for want of clothing, or any poor without 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, when 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 mine arm fall from my 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 destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

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, or 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 mine 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, or 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 judge: for I should have denied the 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 lifted up myself when evil found him:

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

30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

(Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse; )

31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be 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 street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.

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

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

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

34 Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, 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 one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.

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 take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.

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 against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;

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 owners thereof to lose their life:

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 cockle 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.