Job 31

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

I MADE a covenant with mine eyes; how then should I look upon a maid?

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 of God from above, and the heritage of the Almighty from 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?

Doth not he 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 vanity, and my foot hath hasted 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 mine 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 hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any spot hath cleaved to mine 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 mine heart have been enticed unto a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door:

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

Then let my wife grind unto 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 were an heinous crime; yea, it were 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 consumeth unto Destruction, and would root out all mine increase.

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

If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, 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 riseth up? and when he visiteth, 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 that 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 hath not eaten thereof;

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; )

(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 I have seen any one perishing for want of clothing, Or any poor man 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 he hath 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 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 mine 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 was a terror to me, and by reason of his excellency I could do nothing.

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 art] my confidence;

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

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

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

If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;

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

And my heart hath been secretly enticed, and my mouth hath 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 were an iniquity to be punished by the judges: for I should have lied to 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 rejoiced at the destruction of him that 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 suffered not 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 said not, Who can find one that hath not been satisfied with his flesh?

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

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

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

If like Adam I covered my transgressions, by hiding mine 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 went not 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!

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 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 unto me as a crown.

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

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

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

If my land cry out against me, and the furrows thereof 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 thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

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.