Job 31

1 I made a covenant with mine eyes, and I will not think upon a virgin.

I made a covenant with my eyes, that I would not so much as think upon a virgin.

2 Now what portion has God given from above? and is there an inheritance [given] of the Mighty One from the highest?

For what part should God from above have in me, and what inheritance the Almighty from on high?

3 Alas! destruction to the unrighteous, and rejection to them that do iniquity.

Is not destruction to the wicked, and aversion to them that work iniquity?

4 Will he not see my way, and number all my steps?

Doth not he consider my ways, and number all my steps?

5 But if I had gone with scorners, and if too my foot has hasted to deceit:

If I have walked in vanity, and my foot hath made haste to deceit:

6 (for I am weighed in a just balance, and the Lord knows my innocence: )

Let him weigh me in a just balance, and let God know my simplicity.

7 if my foot has turned aside out of the way, or if mine heart has followed mine eye, and if too I have touched gifts with my hands;

If my step hath turned out of the way, and if my heart hath followed my eyes, and if a spot hath cleaved to my hands:

8 then let me sow, and let others eat; and let me be uprooted on the earth.

Then let me sow and let another eat: and let my offspring be rooted out.

9 If my heart has gone forth after another man's wife, and if I laid wait at her doors;

If my heart hath been deceived upon a woman, and if I have laid wait at my friend’s door:

10 then let my wife also please another, and let my children be brought low.

Let my wife be the harlot of another, and let other men lie with her.

11 For the rage of anger is not to be controlled, [in the case] of defiling [another] man's wife.

For this is a heinous crime, and a most grievous iniquity.

12 For it is a fire burning on every side, and whoever it attacks, it utterly destroys.

It is a fire that devoureth even to destruction, and rooteth up all things that spring.

13 And if too I despised the judgment of my servant or [my] handmaid, when they pleaded with me;

If I have despised to abide judgment with my manservant, or my maidservant, when they had any controversy against me:

14 what then shall I do if the Lord should try me? and if also he should at all visit me, can I make an answer?

For what shall I do when God shall rise to judge? and when he shall examine, what shall I answer him?

15 Were not they too formed as I also was formed in the womb? yes, we were formed in the same womb.

Did not he that made me in the womb make him also: and did not one and the same form me in the womb?

16 But the helpless missed not whatever need they had, and I did not cause the eye of the widow to fail.

If I have denied to the poor what they desired, and have made the eyes of the widow wait:

17 And if too I ate my morsel alone, and did not impart [of it] to the orphan;

If I have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof:

18 (for I nourished [them] as a father from my youth and guided [them] from my mother's womb.)

(For from my infancy mercy grew up with me: and it came out with me from my mother’s womb: )

19 And if too I overlooked the naked as he was perishing, and did not clothe him;

If I have despised him that was perishing for want of clothing, and the poor man that had no covering:

20 and if the poor did not bless me, and their shoulders were [not] warmed with the fleece of my lambs;

If his sides have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep:

21 if I lifted my hand against an orphan, trusting that my strength was far superior [to his]:

If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, even when I saw myself superior in the gate:

22 let them my shoulder start from the blade-bone, and my arm be crushed off from the elbow.

Let my shoulder fall from its joint, and let my arm with its bones be broken.

23 For the fear of the Lord constrained me, and I can’t bear up by reason of his burden.

For I have always feared God as waves swelling over me, and his weight I was not able to bear.

24 If I made gold my treasure, and if too I trusted the precious stone;

If I have thought gold my strength, and have said to fine gold: My confidence:

25 and if too I rejoiced when my wealth was abundant, and if too I laid my hand on innumerable [treasures]:

If I have rejoiced over my great riches, and because my hand had gotten much.

26 (do we not see the shining sun eclipsed, and the moon waning? for they have not [power to continue]: )

If I beheld the sun when it shined, and the moon going in brightness:

27 and if my heart was secretly deceived, and if I have laid my hand upon my mouth and kissed it:

And my heart in secret hath rejoiced, and I have kissed my hand with my mouth:

28 let this also then be reckoned to me as the greatest iniquity: for I [should] have lied against the Lord Most High.

Which is a very great iniquity, and a denial against the most high God.

29 And if too I was glad at the fall of mine enemies, and mine heart said, Aha!

If I have been glad at the downfall of him that hated me, and have rejoiced that evil had found him.

30 let then mine ear hear my curse, and let me be a byword among my people in my affliction.

For I have not given my mouth to sin, by wishing a curse to his soul.

31 And if too my handmaids have often said, Oh that we might be satisfied with his flesh; (whereas I was very kind:

If the men of my tabernacle have not said: Who will give us of his flesh that we may be filled?

32 for the stranger did not lodge without, and my door was opened to every one that came: )

The stranger did not stay without, my door was open to the traveller.

33 or if too having sinned unintentionally, I hid my sin;

If as a man I have hid my sin, and have concealed my iniquity in my bosom.

34 (for I did not stand in awe of a great multitude, so as not to declare boldly before them: ) and if too I permitted a poor man to go out of my door with an empty bosom:

If I have been afraid at a very great multitude, and the contempt of kinsmen hath terrified me: and I have not rather held my peace, and not gone out of the door.

35 (Oh that I had a hearer, ) and if I had not feared the hand of the Lord; and [as to] the written charge which I had against any one,

Who would grant me a hearer, that the Almighty may hear my desire; and that he himself that judgeth would write a book,

36 I would place [it] as a chaplet on my shoulders, and read it.

That I may carry it on my shoulder, and put it about me as a crown?

37 And if I did not read it and return it, having taken nothing from the debtor:

At every step of mine I would pronounce it, and offer it as to a prince.

38 If at any time the land groaned against me, and if its furrows mourned together;

If my land cry against me, and with it the furrows thereof mourn:

39 and if I ate its strength alone without price, and if I too grieved the heart of the owner of the soil, by taking [anything] from [him]:

If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have afflicted the soul of the tillers thereof:

40 then let the nettle come up to me instead of wheat, and a bramble instead of barley. And Job ceased speaking.

Let thistles grow up to me instead of wheat, and thorns instead of barley.