Job 31
1 I made a covenant with mine eyes, and I will not think upon a virgin.
A covenant had I made with my eyes: how then should I fix my look on a virgin?
2 Now what portion has God given from above? and is there an inheritance [given] of the Mighty One from the highest?
And what then would have been my portion of God from above? and what lot of the Almighty from on high?
3 Alas! destruction to the unrighteous, and rejection to them that do iniquity.
Is not calamity [ready] for the unjust? and misfortune for the wrong-doers?
4 Will he not see my way, and number all my steps?
Behold, he truly seeth my ways, and numbereth all my steps;
5 But if I had gone with scorners, and if too my foot has hasted to deceit:
[And knoweth] whether I have walked with vain desires, or if my foot hath hastened after deceit.
6 (for I am weighed in a just balance, and the Lord knows my innocence: )
Let him weigh me then in a righteous balance, and let God acknowledge my integrity,
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 have turned aside from the [proper] way, and my heart have walked after my eyes, and if any blemish have 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 what I have growing 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 have been beguiled toward a woman, or if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door:
10 then let my wife also please another, and let my children be brought low.
Then may my wife labor at the mill for another, and may strangers ill-use her;
11 For the rage of anger is not to be controlled, [in the case] of defiling [another] man's wife.
For this would be incest; yea, it would be an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges;
12 For it is a fire burning on every side, and whoever it attacks, it utterly destroys.
For it would be a fire that consumeth down to the place of corruption, and would root out all my products.
13 And if too I despised the judgment of my servant or [my] handmaid, when they pleaded with me;
If ever I cast aside the justice due to my man-servant and my maid-servant, when they contended with 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?
What then could I do when God should rise up? and when he should investigate, what could 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 make him born or a woman? and did not the same one fashion us 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 ever I denied the wish of the indigent, or ever allowed the eyes of the widow to fall [in vain hopes];
17 And if too I ate my morsel alone, and did not impart [of it] to the orphan;
Or if ever I ate my bread by myself alone, and the fatherless did not eat thereof;
18 (for I nourished [them] as a father from my youth and guided [them] from my mother's womb.)
(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as though we were of one father, and I have guided her [as though she was sprung] from my mother's womb; )
19 And if too I overlooked the naked as he was perishing, and did not clothe him;
If ever I saw any one perishing for want of clothing, or the needy without covering:
20 and if the poor did not bless me, and their shoulders were [not] warmed with the fleece of my lambs;
If his loins have not blessed me, and if he have not been 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 swung my hand against the fatherless, because I saw in the gate those that would help me:
22 let them my shoulder start from the blade-bone, and my arm be crushed off from the elbow.
Then may my shoulder fall from my shoulder-blade, and my arm be broken from the channel-bone;
23 For the fear of the Lord constrained me, and I can’t bear up by reason of his burden.
For dreaded by me was the calamitous punishment of God, and against his highness I can accomplish nothing.
24 If I made gold my treasure, and if too I trusted the precious stone;
If I have made gold my confidence, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my trust:
25 and if too I rejoiced when my wealth was abundant, and if too I laid my hand on innumerable [treasures]:
If ever I rejoiced because my wealth was abundant, 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 ever I looked at the light [of the sun] when he shone brightly and on the moon walking in splendor:
27 and if my heart was secretly deceived, and if I have laid my hand upon my mouth and kissed it:
And my heart became misled in secret, and my hand kissed 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.
This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge; for thus would I have denied the God that is above.
29 And if too I was glad at the fall of mine enemies, and mine heart said, Aha!
If ever I rejoiced at the downfall of him that hated me, or was elated when evil befell him; —
30 let then mine ear hear my curse, and let me be a byword among my people in my affliction.
But I suffered not my mouth to sin by denouncing with a curse 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 tent said not, Oh is there one that is not satisfied of his flesh; —
32 for the stranger did not lodge without, and my door was opened to every one that came: )
In the street a stranger had not to lodge; my doors I held open to the roadside;
33 or if too having sinned unintentionally, I hid my sin;
If I covered up my transgressions like a common man, by hiding in my bosom my iniquity;
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:
Because I dreaded the great multitude, or because the contempt of families did terrify me, so that I kept silence, and dared not to go 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,
Oh who will bring me one that would hear me! behold, here is my plea; may the Almighty answer me; and any record which my opponent may have written, —
36 I would place [it] as a chaplet on my shoulders, and read it.
Surely upon my shoulder would I carry it: I would bind it as a crown unto me.
37 And if I did not read it and return it, having taken nothing from the debtor:
The number of my steps would I tell him: as [to] a prince would I go near unto him.—
38 If at any time the land groaned against me, and if its furrows mourned together;
If my land ever cried out because of me, or if its furrows wept together;
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 ever consumed its strength without payment, or caused the soul of its owners to grieve:
40 then let the nettle come up to me instead of wheat, and a bramble instead of barley. And Job ceased speaking.
Then may instead of wheat, thorns come forth, and instead of barley, cockle. (Here end the words of Job.)
