Job 31

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

I reached an agreement with my eyes, that I would not so much as think about 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 portion should God from above hold for me, and what inheritance should the Almighty from on high keep?

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

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

4 Doth He not 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 if my foot hath hasted to deceit,

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

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

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

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

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

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 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 other men lie with her!

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

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

For this is a crime and a very great injustice.

12 Yea, it were a fire that would consume to destruction, And 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 refused justice to my man-servant or maid-servant, When they had a controversy with me,

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

14 Then what shall I do when God riseth up? And when he visiteth, 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 that made me in the womb make him? Did not 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 refused the poor their desire, And 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 If I have eaten my morsel alone, And the fatherless hath not partaken of it;

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

(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 one perishing for want of clothing, Or any poor man without 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 loins have not blessed me, And he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

if his sides have not blessed me, and if he were not 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 over an orphan, even when it might seem to me that I have the advantage over him at the gate;

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

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

23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, And before his majesty I could 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 trust, Or said to the fine gold, Thou art 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 my hand had found abundance;

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

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

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

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

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

28 This also were a crime to be punished by the judge; 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 that hated me, And exulted when evil came upon him;

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

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

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 exclaimed, “Who is there that hath not been satisfied 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 stranger did not lodge in the street; I opened my doors to the traveller.

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

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

if, as man does, I have hidden my sin and have concealed 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!

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 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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

40 Let thorns grow up instead of wheat, And noxious weeds 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.)