Job 31
1 A covenant had I made with my eyes: how then should I fix my look on a virgin?
I made a covenant with mine eyes; and how should I fix my regard upon a maid?
2 And what then would have been my portion of God from above? and what lot of the Almighty from on high?
For what would have been [my] portion of God from above, and what the heritage of the Almighty from on high?
3 Is not calamity [ready] for the unjust? and misfortune for the wrong-doers?
Is not calamity for the unrighteous? and misfortune for the workers of iniquity?
4 Behold, he truly seeth my ways, and numbereth all my steps;
Doth not he see my ways, and number all my steps?
5 [And knoweth] whether I have walked with vain desires, or if my foot hath hastened after deceit.
If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot hath hasted to deceit,
6 Let him weigh me then in a righteous balance, and let God acknowledge my integrity,
(Let me be weighed in an even balance, and God will take knowledge of my blamelessness; )
7 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:
If my step have turned out of the way, and my heart followed mine eyes, and if any blot cleaveth to my hands;
8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; and let what I have growing be rooted out.
Let me sow, and another eat; and let mine offspring be rooted out.
9 If my heart have been beguiled toward a woman, or if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door:
If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, so that I laid wait at my neighbour's door,
10 Then may my wife labor at the mill for another, and may strangers ill-use her;
Let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down upon her.
11 For this would be incest; yea, it would be an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges;
For this is an infamy; yea, it is an iniquity [to be judged by] the judges:
12 For it would be a fire that consumeth down to the place of corruption, and would root out all my products.
For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
13 If ever I cast aside the justice due to my man-servant and my maid-servant, when they contended with me:
If I have despised the cause of my bondman or of my bondmaid, when they contended with me,
14 What then could I do when God should rise up? and when he should investigate, what could I answer him?
What then should I do when God riseth up? and if he visited, what should I answer him?
15 Did not he that made me make him born or a woman? and did not the same one fashion us in the womb?
Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not One fashion us in the womb?
16 If ever I denied the wish of the indigent, or ever allowed the eyes of the widow to fall [in vain hopes];
If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
17 Or if ever I ate my bread by myself alone, and the fatherless did not eat thereof;
Or have eaten my morsel alone, so that the fatherless ate not thereof,
18 (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; )
(For from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided the [widow] from my mother's womb; )
19 If ever I saw any one perishing for want of clothing, or the needy without covering:
If I have seen any perishing for want of clothing, or any needy without covering;
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he have not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my lambs;
21 If I have swung my hand against the fatherless, because I saw in the gate those that would help me:
If I have lifted up my hand against an orphan, because I saw my help in the gate:
22 Then may my shoulder fall from my shoulder-blade, and my arm be broken from the channel-bone;
[Then] let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone!
23 For dreaded by me was the calamitous punishment of God, and against his highness I can accomplish nothing.
For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his excellency I was powerless.
24 If I have made gold my confidence, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my trust:
If I have made gold my hope, or said to the fine gold, My confidence!
25 If ever I rejoiced because my wealth was abundant, and because my hand had gotten much;
If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;
26 If ever I looked at the light [of the sun] when he shone brightly and on the moon walking in splendor:
If I beheld the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in brightness,
27 And my heart became misled in secret, and my hand kissed my mouth:
And my heart have been secretly enticed, so that my mouth kissed my hand:
28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge; for thus would I have denied the God that is above.
This also would be an iniquity for the judge, for I should have denied the God who is above.
29 If ever I rejoiced at the downfall of him that hated me, or was elated when evil befell him; —
If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, and exulted when evil befell him;
30 But I suffered not my mouth to sin by denouncing with a curse his soul: —
(Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse; )
31 If the men of my tent said not, Oh is there one that is not satisfied of his flesh; —
If the men of my tent said not, Who shall find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat? —
32 In the street a stranger had not to lodge; my doors I held open to the roadside;
The stranger did not lodge without; I opened my doors to the pathway.
33 If I covered up my transgressions like a common man, by hiding in my bosom my iniquity;
If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,
34 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; —
Because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door, ...
35 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, —
Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold my signature: let the Almighty answer me! And let mine opponent write an accusation!
36 Surely upon my shoulder would I carry it: I would bind it as a crown unto me.
Would I not take it upon my shoulder? I would bind it on to me [as] a crown;
37 The number of my steps would I tell him: as [to] a prince would I go near unto him.—
I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I come near to him.
38 If my land ever cried out because of me, or if its furrows wept together;
If my land cry out against me, and its furrows weep together;
39 If I ever consumed its strength without payment, or caused the soul of its owners to grieve:
If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have tormented to death the souls of its owners:
40 Then may instead of wheat, thorns come forth, and instead of barley, cockle. (Here end the words of Job.)
Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and tares instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
