Job 31
1 A covenant had I made with my eyes: how then should I fix my look on a virgin?
I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then should I look with desire on a virgin?
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 from God above, the inheritance from the Almighty on high?
3 Is not calamity [ready] for the unjust? and misfortune for the wrong-doers?
I used to think that calamity is for unrighteous people, and that disaster is for doers of wickedness.
4 Behold, he truly seeth my ways, and numbereth all my steps;
Does not God see my ways and count 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, if my foot has hurried 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 so that God will know my 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 has turned aside from the way, if my heart has gone after my eyes, if any spot has stuck to my 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, and let my crops be uprooted.
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 has been deceived by a woman, if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door,
10 Then may my wife labor at the mill for another, and may strangers ill-use her;
then let my wife grind grain for another, and let others bow down on her.
11 For this would be incest; yea, it would be an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges;
For that would be a terrible crime; indeed, it would be a crime to be punished by judges.
12 For it would be a fire that consumeth down to the place of corruption, and would root out all my products.
For that is a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn all my harvest to the root.
13 If ever I cast aside the justice due to my man-servant and my maid-servant, when they contended with me:
If I ignored the plea for justice from my male or female servant when they argued 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 would I do when God rises up to accuse me? When he comes to judge me, how would 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 the one who made me in the womb not make them also? Did not the same one mold us all 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 poor people from their desire, or if I have caused the eyes of the widow to grow dim from crying,
17 Or if ever I ate my bread by myself alone, and the fatherless did not eat thereof;
or if I have eaten my morsel alone and not allowed those without fathers to eat it also—
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; )
because from my youth the orphan grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided his mother, a widow, from my own mother's womb.
19 If ever I saw any one perishing for want of clothing, or the needy without covering:
If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or if I have seen that a needy man had no clothing;
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he have not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
if his heart has not blessed me because he has not been warmed with the wool 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 fatherless people because I saw my support in the city gate, then bring charges against me!
22 Then may my shoulder fall from my shoulder-blade, and my arm be broken from the channel-bone;
If I have done these things, then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and let my arm be broken from its joint.
23 For dreaded by me was the calamitous punishment of God, and against his highness I can accomplish nothing.
For I dreaded destruction from God; because of his majesty, I was not able to do those things.
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 if I have said to fine gold, 'You are what I am confident in';
25 If ever I rejoiced because my wealth was abundant, and because my hand had gotten much;
if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, because my hand had gotten many possessions, then bring charges against me!
26 If ever I looked at the light [of the sun] when he shone brightly and on the moon walking in splendor:
If I have seen the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in its brightness,
27 And my heart became misled in secret, and my hand kissed my mouth:
and if my heart has been secretly attracted, so that my mouth has kissed my hand in worship of them—
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 a crime to be punished by judges, for I would 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 have rejoiced at the destruction of anyone who hated me or congratulated myself when disaster overtook him, then bring charges against me!
30 But I suffered not my mouth to sin by denouncing with a curse his soul: —
Indeed, I have not even allowed my mouth to sin by asking for 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 have never said, 'Who can find one who has not been filled with Job's food?'
32 In the street a stranger had not to lodge; my doors I held open to the roadside;
(even the foreigner has never had to stay in the city square, because I have always opened my doors to the traveler), and if that is not so, then bring charges against me!
33 If I covered up my transgressions like a common man, by hiding in my bosom my iniquity;
If, like mankind, I have hidden my sins by hiding my guilt inside my tunic
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, because the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside), then bring charges against me!
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, if only I had someone to hear me! See, here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me! If only I had the indictment that my opponent has written!
36 Surely upon my shoulder would I carry it: I would bind it as a crown unto me.
Surely I would carry it openly on my shoulder; I would put it on like 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 to him an accounting for my steps; as a confident prince I would go up to him.
38 If my land ever cried out because of me, or if its furrows wept together;
If my land ever cries 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 its harvest without paying for it or have caused its owners to lose their lives,
40 Then may instead of wheat, thorns come forth, and instead of barley, cockle. (Here end the words of Job.)
then let thorns grow instead of wheat and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are finished.
