Job 31

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

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

2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

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

3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?

Is not destruction to the wicked and strange punishment to the workers of iniquitie?

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

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

5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;

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

6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.

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

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 steppe hath turned out of the way, or mine heart hath walked after mine eye, or if any blot hath cleaued to mine handes,

8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.

Let me sowe, and let another eate: yea, let my plantes 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 mine heart hath bene deceiued by a woman, or if I haue layde wayte at the doore of my neighbour,

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

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

11 For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

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

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

Yea, this is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction, and which shall roote out al mine increase,

13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;

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

14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?

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

15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?

He that hath made me in the wombe, hath he not made him? hath not he alone facioned vs in the wombe?

16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

If I restrained the poore of their desire, or haue caused the eyes of the widow to faile,

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

Or haue eaten my morsels alone, and the fatherles hath not eaten 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 hee hath growen vp with me as with a father, and from my mothers wombe I haue bene a guide vnto her)

19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;

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

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

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

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

If I haue lift vp mine hande against the fatherlesse, when I saw that I might helpe him in the gate,

22 Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.

Let mine arme fal from my shoulder, and mine arme 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 Gods punishment was fearefull vnto me, and I could not be deliuered from his highnes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:

If mine heart did flatter me in secrete, or if my mouth did kisse mine 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 had bene an iniquitie to be condemned: for I had denied the God aboue)

29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:

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

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

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

31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.

Did not the men of my Tabernacle say, Who shall giue vs of his flesh? we can not bee satisfied.

32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.

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

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

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

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?

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.

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 some to heare me! beholde my signe that the Almightie will witnesse for me: though mine aduersary should write a booke against me,

36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.

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

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

I will tell him the nomber of my goings, and goe vnto him as to a prince.

38 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;

If my lande cry against me, or the furrowes thereof complayne together,

39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

If I haue eaten the fruites thereof without siluer: or if I haue grieued the soules of the masters thereof,

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

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