Job 31

1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; How then could I gaze upon a maid?

I made a covenant with my eyes. How then should I look upon a virgin?

2 For what is the portion appointed by God from above, And the inheritance allotted by the Almighty from on high?

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

3 Is not destruction for the wicked, And ruin for the workers of iniquity?

Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?

4 Doth He not see my ways, And number all my steps?

Does he not see my ways, and number all my steps?

5 If I have walked with falsehood, And if my foot hath hasted to deceit,

If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hastened to deceit

6 Let him weigh me in an even balance; Yea, let God know my integrity!

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

7 If my steps have turned aside from the way, And my heart gone after mine eyes, Or if any stain hath cleaved to my hand,

if my step has turned out of the way, and my heart walked after my eyes, and if any spot has clung to my hands,

8 Then I may sow, and another eat; And what I plant, may it be rooted up!

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

9 If my heart hath been enticed by a woman, Or if I have watched at my neighbor's door,

If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbor's door,

10 Then let my wife grind for another, And let other men lie with her!

then let my wife grind to another, and let others bow down upon her.

11 For this were a heinous crime, Even a transgression to be punished by the judges;

For that is a heinous crime, yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

12 Yea, it were a fire that would consume to destruction, And root out all my increase.

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

13 If I have refused justice to my man-servant or maid-servant, When they had a controversy with me,

If I have despised the case of my man-servant or of my maid-servant when they contended with me,

14 Then what shall I do when God riseth up? And when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?

what then shall I do when God rises up? And when he visits, what shall I answer him?

15 Did not He that made me in the womb make him? Did not one fashion us in the womb?

Did not he who made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?

16 If I have refused the poor their desire, And caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

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

17 If I have eaten my morsel alone, And the fatherless hath not partaken of it;

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

18 (Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, And I have helped the widow from my mother's womb; )

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

19 If I have seen any one perishing for want of clothing, Or any poor man without covering;

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

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

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

21 If I have shaken my hand against the fatherless, Because I saw my help in the gate, —

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

22 Then may my shoulder fill from its blade, And my fore-arm be broken from its bone!

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

23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, And before his majesty I could do nothing.

For calamity from God is a terror to me, and I can do nothing because of his majesty.

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

If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, Thou are my confidence;

25 If I have rejoiced, because my wealth was great, And my hand had found abundance;

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

26 If I have beheld the sun in his splendor, Or the moon advancing in brightness,

if I have beheld the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in brightness,

27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, And my mouth hath kissed my hand,

and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand

28 This also were a crime to be punished by the judge; For I should have denied the God who is above.

(this also is an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have denied the God that is above);

29 If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, And exulted when evil came upon him;

if I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him

30 (Nay, I have not suffered my mouth to sin, By asking with curses his life; )

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

31 If the men of my tent have not exclaimed, “Who is there that hath not been satisfied with his meat?”

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

32 The stranger did not lodge in the street; I opened my doors to the traveller.

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

33 Have I, after the manner of men, hidden my transgression, Concealing my iniquity in my bosom,

if like Adam I have covered my transgressions by hiding my iniquity in my bosom

34 Then let me be confounded before the great multitude! Let the contempt of families cover me with shame! Yea, let me keep silence! let me never appear abroad!

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-

35 O that there were one who would hear me! Behold my signature! let the Almighty answer me. And let mine adversary write down his charge!

O that I had someone to hear me (Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me), and that I had the indictment which my adversary has written!

36 Truly I would wear it upon my shoulder; I would bind it upon me as a crown.

Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder. I would bind it to me as a crown.

37 I would disclose to him all my steps; I would approach him like a prince.

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

38 If my land cry out against me, And its furrows bewail together;

If my land cries out against me, and the furrows of it weep together;

39 If I have eaten of its fruits without payment, And wrung out the life of its owners,

if I have eaten the fruits of it without money, or have caused the owners of it to lose their lives,

40 Let thorns grow up instead of wheat, And noxious weeds instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.

let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.