Job 31

1 A covenant had I made with my eyes: how then should I fix my look on a virgin?

I made a couenant with mine eyes: why then should I thinke on a mayde?

2 And what then would have been my portion of God from above? and what lot of the Almighty from on high?

For what portion should I haue of God from aboue? and what inheritance of the Almightie from on hie?

3 Is not calamity [ready] for the unjust? and misfortune for the wrong-doers?

Is not destruction to the wicked and strange punishment to the workers of iniquitie?

4 Behold, he truly seeth my ways, and numbereth all my steps;

Doeth not he beholde my wayes and tell all my steps?

5 [And knoweth] whether I have walked with vain desires, or if my foot hath hastened after deceit.

If I haue walked in vanitie, or if my foote hath made haste to deceite,

6 Let him weigh me then in a righteous balance, and let God acknowledge my integrity,

Let God weigh me in the iust balance, and he shall know mine vprightnes.

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 steppe hath turned out of the way, or mine heart hath walked after mine eye, or if any blot hath cleaued to mine handes,

8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; and let what I have growing be rooted out.

Let me sowe, and let another eate: yea, let my plantes 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 mine heart hath bene deceiued by a woman, or if I haue layde wayte at the doore of my neighbour,

10 Then may my wife labor at the mill for another, and may strangers ill-use her;

Let my wife grinde vnto another man, and let other men bow downe vpon her:

11 For this would be incest; yea, it would be an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges;

For this is a wickednes, and iniquitie to bee condemned:

12 For it would be a fire that consumeth down to the place of corruption, and would root out all my products.

Yea, this is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction, and which shall roote out al 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 did contemne the iudgement of my seruant, and of my mayde, when they did contend 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 shall I do when God standeth vp? and when he shall visit me, what shall I answere?

15 Did not he that made me make him born or a woman? and did not the same one fashion us in the womb?

He that hath made me in the wombe, hath he not made him? hath not he alone facioned vs in the wombe?

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 restrained the poore of their desire, or haue caused the eyes of the widow to faile,

17 Or if ever I ate my bread by myself alone, and the fatherless did not eat thereof;

Or haue eaten my morsels alone, and the fatherles hath not eaten 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 hee hath growen vp with me as with a father, and from my mothers wombe I haue bene a guide vnto her)

19 If ever I saw any one perishing for want of clothing, or the needy without covering:

If I haue seene any perish for want of clothing, or any poore without couering,

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

If his loynes haue not blessed me, because he was warmed with the fleece of my sheepe,

21 If I have swung my hand against the fatherless, because I saw in the gate those that would help me:

If I haue lift vp mine hande against the fatherlesse, when I saw that I might helpe him in the gate,

22 Then may my shoulder fall from my shoulder-blade, and my arm be broken from the channel-bone;

Let mine arme fal from my shoulder, and mine arme 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 Gods punishment was fearefull vnto me, and I could not be deliuered from his highnes.

24 If I have made gold my confidence, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my trust:

If I made gold mine hope, or haue sayd to the wedge of golde, Thou art my confidence,

25 If ever I rejoiced because my wealth was abundant, and because my hand had gotten much;

If I reioyced because my substance was great, or because mine 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 did behold the sunne, when it shined, or the moone, walking in her brightnes,

27 And my heart became misled in secret, and my hand kissed my mouth:

If mine heart did flatter me in secrete, or if my mouth did kisse mine 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 had bene an iniquitie to be condemned: for I had denied the God aboue)

29 If ever I rejoiced at the downfall of him that hated me, or was elated when evil befell him; —

If I reioyced at his destruction that hated me, or was mooued to ioye when euill came vpon him,

30 But I suffered not my mouth to sin by denouncing with a curse his soul: —

Neither haue I suffred my mouth to sinne, by wishing a curse vnto his soule.

31 If the men of my tent said not, Oh is there one that is not satisfied of his flesh; —

Did not the men of my Tabernacle say, Who shall giue vs of his flesh? we can not bee satisfied.

32 In the street a stranger had not to lodge; my doors I held open to the roadside;

The stranger did not lodge in the streete, but I opened my doores vnto him, that went by the way.

33 If I covered up my transgressions like a common man, by hiding in my bosom my iniquity;

If I haue hid my sinne, as Adam, concealing mine iniquitie in my bosome,

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; —

Though I could haue made afraid a great multitude, yet the most contemptible of the families did feare me: so I kept silence, and went not out of the doore.

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 some to heare me! beholde my signe that the Almightie will witnesse for me: though mine aduersary should write a booke against me,

36 Surely upon my shoulder would I carry it: I would bind it as a crown unto me.

Woulde not I take it vpon my shoulder, and binde it as a crowne vnto me?

37 The number of my steps would I tell him: as [to] a prince would I go near unto him.—

I will tell him the nomber of my goings, and goe vnto him as to a prince.

38 If my land ever cried out because of me, or if its furrows wept together;

If my lande cry against me, or the furrowes thereof complayne together,

39 If I ever consumed its strength without payment, or caused the soul of its owners to grieve:

If I haue eaten the fruites thereof without siluer: or if I haue grieued the soules of the masters thereof,

40 Then may instead of wheat, thorns come forth, and instead of barley, cockle. (Here end the words of Job.)

Let thistles growe in steade of wheate, and cockle in the stead of Barley. The wordes of Iob are ended.