Job 31

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

“I made a covenant with my eyes; how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?

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

For what is the portion from God above, and the heritage from the Almighty on high?

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

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

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

Doesn’t he see my ways, and count 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 my foot has hurried 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, that God may 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 step has turned out of the way, if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to my hands,

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

then let me sow, and let another eat. Yes, let the produce of my field 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 has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbour’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 others sleep with her.

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

For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,

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

for it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would 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 despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, when they contended with me,

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

what then will I do when God rises up? When he visits, what will I answer him?

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

Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him? Didn’t 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 have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

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

or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten 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; )

(no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, I have guided her 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 perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;

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

if his heart hasn’t blessed me, if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece;

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 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 let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my 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 is a terror to me. Because of his majesty, I can 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 hope, and have said to the fine gold, ‘You are 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 because my hand had gotten much;

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

if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendour,

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

and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth;

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 to be punished by the judges, for I would 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 who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him

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

(I have certainly not allowed 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 have not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’

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

(the foreigner has not camped in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveller);

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

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

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 didn’t go 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, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me! Let the accuser write my indictment!

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

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, and I would bind it 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 to him the number of my steps. I would go near to him like a prince.

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

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 owners thereof to lose their life:

if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life,

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

let briers grow instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.