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; how then should I look 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 [is] the portion of God from above, and the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

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

Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to 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 vanity, 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, that God may know mine integrity; )

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 hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any spot hath cleaved to mine hands:

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

Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let the produce of my field 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 have been enticed unto a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door:

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

Then let my wife grind unto 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 that were an heinous crime; yea, it were an iniquity to be punished 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 unto 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 did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, 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 shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall 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 have 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, and the fatherless 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; )

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

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 the fatherless, 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 could do nothing.

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, and have said to the fine gold, [Thou art] 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 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 beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;

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

And my heart hath been secretly enticed, and my mouth hath 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 were an iniquity to be punished by the judges: for I should have lied to God that 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, or lifted up myself when evil found him;

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

(Yea, I suffered not 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 can find one that hath not been satisfied with his flesh?

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 street; but I opened my doors to the traveller;

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

If like Adam I covered my transgressions, 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! (lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me; ) and [that I had] the indictment which mine adversary hath written!

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

Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto 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 go near unto 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 the furrows thereof 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, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

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 cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.