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; How then could I gaze upon a maid?

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

For what is the portion appointed by God from above, And the inheritance allotted by the Almighty from on high?

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

Is not destruction for the wicked, And ruin for the workers of iniquity?

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

Doth He not see my ways, And number all my steps?

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

If I have walked with falsehood, And if my foot hath hasted to deceit,

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

Let him weigh me in an even balance; Yea, let God know my integrity!

7 If my step has turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot has cleaved to mine hands;

If my steps have turned aside from the way, And my heart gone after mine eyes, Or if any stain hath cleaved to my hand,

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

Then I may sow, and another eat; And what I plant, may it be rooted up!

9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door;

If my heart hath been enticed by a woman, Or if I have watched at my neighbor's door,

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

Then let my wife grind for another, And let other men lie with her!

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

For this were a heinous crime, Even a transgression to be punished by the judges;

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

Yea, it were a fire that would consume to destruction, And root out all my increase.

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

If I have refused justice to my man-servant or maid-servant, When they had a controversy with me,

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

Then what shall I do when God riseth up? And when he visiteth, what shall 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? 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 refused the poor their desire, And caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

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

If I have eaten my morsel alone, And the fatherless hath not partaken of it;

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; )

(Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, And I have helped the widow from my mother's womb; )

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

If I have seen any one perishing for want of clothing, Or any poor man 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 he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

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

If I have shaken my hand against the fatherless, 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 may my shoulder fill from its blade, And my fore-arm be broken from its bone!

23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

For destruction from God was a terror to me, And before his majesty I could do nothing.

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

If I have made gold my trust, Or said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;

25 If I rejoice because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had got much;

If I have rejoiced, because my wealth was great, And my hand had found abundance;

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

If I have beheld the sun in his splendor, Or the moon advancing in brightness,

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

And my heart hath been secretly enticed, And my mouth hath 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 were a crime to be punished by the judge; For I should have denied the God who is above.

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

If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, And exulted when evil came upon him;

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

(Nay, I have not suffered my mouth to sin, By asking with curses his life; )

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 have not exclaimed, “Who is there 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 in the street; I opened my doors to the traveller.

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

Have I, after the manner of men, hidden my transgression, Concealing my 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?

Then let me be confounded before the great multitude! Let the contempt of families cover me with shame! Yea, let me keep silence! let me never appear abroad!

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.

O that there were one who would hear me! Behold my signature! let the Almighty answer me. And let mine adversary write down his charge!

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

Truly I would wear it upon my shoulder; I would bind it upon 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 disclose to him all my steps; I would approach him like a prince.

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

If my land cry out against me, And its furrows bewail 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 of its fruits without payment, And wrung out the life of its owners,

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

Let thorns grow up instead of wheat, And noxious weeds instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.