Job 31

1 A covenant, I solemnised for mine eyes, —How then could I gaze upon a virgin?

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

2 Or what would have been my portion of GOD from above? Or what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

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

3 Is there not calamity, for the perverse? and misfortune, for the workers of iniquity?

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

4 Would, he, not see my ways? and of all my steps, take account?

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

5 Verily I walked not in falsity, nor did my foot haste unto deceit: —

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

6 Let him weigh me in balances of righteousness, —and let GOD take note of mine integrity!

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

7 If my goings have swerved from the way, —and, after mine eyes, hath gone my heart, and, to my hands, hath adhered any stain,

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,

8 Let me sow but, another, eat. And let, what I have springing up, be uprooted!

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

9 If my heart hath been enticed unto a woman, or, by the door of my neighbour, I have lien in wait,

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

10 Let my wife, grind to another, and, over her, let others bend!

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

11 Surely that had been a shameful thing! and that an iniquity for the judges!

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

12 Surely, a fire, had that been, which, unto destruction, would have consumed, and, of all mine increase, had it torn up the root.

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

13 If I refused the right of my servant, or my handmaid, when they contended with me,

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

14 What then could I have done when GOD rose up? And, when he visited, what could I have answered him?

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

15 Did not he who, in the womb, made me, make him? And is not he who formed us in the body one?

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

16 If I withheld—from pleasure—the poor, or, the eyes of the widow, I dimmed;

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

17 Or, used to eat my morsel alone, so that the fatherless did not eat thereof;

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

18 Surely, from my youth, he grew up to me, as to a father, and, from my birth, I acted as guide to her:

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

19 If I saw one perishing for lack of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;

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

20 If his loins did not bless me, or if, with the fleece of my lambs, he did not warm himself;

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

21 If I shook—against the fatherless—my hand, when I saw, in the gate, his need of my help,

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

22 Let, my shoulder, from the shoulder-blade, fall, and, my arm, from the upper bone, be broken;

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

23 For, a dread unto me, was calamity from GOD, and, from his majesty, I could not escape.

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

24 If I made gold my stay, and, to precious metal, said, My confidence!

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

25 If I rejoiced because great was my substance, and, an abundance, my hand had discovered;

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

26 If I looked at the sun, when it flashed forth light, or at the moon, majestically marching along;

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

27 And befooled secretly was my heart, so that my hand kissed my mouth,

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

28 That too, had been a judicial iniquity, For I should have been false to GOD, above.

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

29 If rejoiced in the misfortune of him that hated me, or exulted when calamity found him; —

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

30 Neither did I suffer my palate to sin, by asking, with a curse, for his life:

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

31 If the men of my household have not said, Oh for some of his flesh—we cannot get filled,

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

32 Outside, the sojourner lodged not for the night, My doors—to the wayfarer, I threw open.

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

33 If I covered, like Adam, my transgressions, by hiding in my bosom mine iniquity,

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

34 Then let me be made to tremble at a great throng, yea let, the contempt of families, terrify me, so that, keeping silence, I shall not go out of the door!

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!

35 Oh that I had one to hear me, Lo! my crossmark, May, the Almighty, answer me! And would that, a book, mine opponent had written!

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!

36 Oh! would I not, upon my shoulder, lift it, or bind it as a crown upon me;

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

37 The number of my footsteps, I would declare to him, Like a noble, would I draw near to him.

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

38 If, against me, my ground used to cry out, and, together, my ridges did weep;

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

39 If, the strength thereof, I used to eat, without payment, and, the soul of the holders thereof, I made groan;

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

40 Instead of wheat, let there come forth bramble, and, instead of barley, a bad-smelling weed! Ended are the words of Job.

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