Job 31

1 "I made a covenant with my eyes, how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?

I reached an agreement with my eyes, that I would not so much as think about a virgin.

2 For what is the portion from God above, and the heritage from Shaddai on high?

For what portion should God from above hold for me, and what inheritance should the Almighty from on high keep?

3 Is it not calamity for the unrighteous, and disaster for evildoers?

Is not destruction held for the wicked and repudiation kept for those who work injustice?

4 Doesn't he see my ways, and number all my steps?

Does he not examine my ways and number all my steps?

5 "If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit

If I have walked in vanity, or if my foot has hurried towards deceitfulness,

6 (let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity);

let him weigh me in a just balance, and let God know my simplicity.

7 if my step has turned out of the way, if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to my hands,

If my steps have turned aside from the way, or if my heart has followed my eyes, or if a blemish has clung to my hands,

8 then let me sow, and let another eat. Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

then may I sow, and let another consume, and let my offspring be eradicated.

9 "If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door,

If my heart has been deceived over a woman, or if I have waited in ambush at my friend’s door,

10 then let my wife grind for another, and let others sleep with her.

then let my wife be the harlot of another, and let other men lean over her.

11 For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges:

For this is a crime and a very great injustice.

12 For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase.

It is a fire devouring all the way to perdition, and it roots out all that springs forth.

13 "If I have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, when they contended with me;

If I have despised being subject to judgment with my servant or my maid, when they had any complaint against me,

14 What then shall I do when God rises up? When he visits, what shall I answer him?

then what will I do when God rises to judge, and, when he inquires, how will I respond to him?

15 Did not he who made me in the womb make him? Did not the same one fashion us in the womb?

Is not he who created me in the womb, also he who labored to make him? And did not one and the same form me in the womb?

16 "If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

If I have denied the poor what they wanted and have made the eyes of the widow wait;

17 or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it

if I have eaten my morsel of food alone, while orphans have not eaten from it;

18 (no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, her have I guided from my mother's womb);

(for from my infancy mercy grew with me, and it came out with me from my mother’s womb; )

19 if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;

if I have looked down on him who was perishing because he had no clothing and the poor without any covering,

20 if his heart hasn't blessed me, if he hasn't been warmed with my sheep's fleece;

if his sides have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21 if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate,

if I have lifted up my hand over an orphan, even when it might seem to me that I have the advantage over him at the gate;

22 then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.

then may my shoulder fall from its joint, and may my arm, with all its bones, be broken.

23 For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because his majesty, I can do nothing.

For I have always feared God, like waves flowing over me, whose weight I was unable to bear.

24 "If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, 'You are my confidence;'

If I have considered gold to be my strength, or if I have called purified gold ‘my Trust;’

25 If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;

if I have rejoiced over my great success, and over the many things my hand has obtained;

26 if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor,

if I gazed upon the sun when it shined and the moon advancing brightly,

27 and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,

so that my heart rejoiced in secret and I kissed my hand with my mouth,

28 this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for I should have denied the God who is above.

which is a very great iniquity and a denial against the most high God;

29 "If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him;

if I have been glad at the ruin of him who hated me and have exulted that evil found him,

30 (yes, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse);

for I have not been given my throat to sin by asking for a curse on his soul;

31 if the men of my tent have not said, 'Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?'

if the men around my tabernacle have not said: “He might give us some of his food, so that we will be filled,”

32 (the foreigner has not lodged in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler);

for the foreigner did not remain at the door, my door was open to the traveler;

33 if like Adam I have covered my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my heart,

if, as man does, I have hidden my sin and have concealed my iniquity in my bosom;

34 because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and did not go out of the door?

if I became frightened by an excessive crowd, and the disrespect of close relatives alarmed me, so that I would much rather have remained silent or have gone out the door;

35 oh that I had one to hear me. (look, here is my signature, let Shaddai answer me); let the accuser write my indictment.

then, would he grant me a hearing, so that the Almighty would listen to my desire, and he who judges would himself write a book,

36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; and I would bind it to me as a crown.

which I would then carry on my shoulder and wrap around me like a crown?

37 I would declare to him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near to him.

With each of my steps, I would pronounce and offer it, as if to a prince.

38 If my land cries out against me, and its furrows weep together;

So, if my land cries out against me, and if its furrows weep with it,

39 if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life,

if I have used its fruits for nothing but money and have afflicted the souls of its tillers,

40 let briars grow instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley." The words of Job are ended.

then, may thistles spring forth for me instead of grain, and thorns instead of barley. (This ended the words of Job.)