Job 31
1 I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then should I look with desire on a virgin?
“I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin?
2 For what is the portion from God above, the inheritance from the Almighty on high?
For what is the allotment of God from above, or the heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 I used to think that calamity is for unrighteous people, and that disaster is for doers of wickedness.
Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity?
4 Does not God see my ways and count all my steps?
Does He not see my ways and count my every step?
5 If I have walked with falsehood, if my foot has hurried to deceit,
If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has rushed to deceit,
6 let me be weighed in an even balance so that God will know my integrity.
let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my integrity.
7 If my step has turned aside from the way, if my heart has gone after my eyes, if any spot has stuck to my hands,
If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands,
8 then let me sow, and let another eat, and let my crops be uprooted.
then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.
9 If my heart has been deceived by a woman, if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door,
If my heart has been enticed by my neighbor’s wife, or I have lurked at his door,
10 then let my wife grind grain for another, and let others bow down on her.
then may my own wife grind grain for another, and may other men sleep with her.
11 For that would be a terrible crime; indeed, it would be a crime to be punished by judges.
For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged.
12 For that is a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn all my harvest to the root.
For it is a fire that burns down to Abaddon; it would root out my entire harvest.
13 If I ignored the plea for justice from my male or female servant when they argued with me,
If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservant when they made a complaint against me,
14 what then would I do when God rises up to accuse me? When he comes to judge me, how would I answer him?
what will I do when God rises to judge? How will I answer when called to account?
15 Did the one who made me in the womb not make them also? Did not the same one mold us all in the womb?
Did not He who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same One form us in the womb?
16 If I have withheld poor people from their desire, or if I have caused the eyes of the widow to grow dim from crying,
If I have denied the desires of the poor or allowed the widow’s eyes to fail,
17 or if I have eaten my morsel alone and not allowed those without fathers to eat it also—
if I have eaten my morsel alone, not sharing it with the fatherless—
18 because from my youth the orphan grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided his mother, a widow, from my own mother's womb.
though from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—
19 If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or if I have seen that a needy man had no clothing;
if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak,
20 if his heart has not blessed me because he has not been warmed with the wool of my sheep,
if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep,
21 if I have lifted up my hand against fatherless people because I saw my support in the city gate, then bring charges against me!
if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate,
22 If I have done these things, then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and let my arm be broken from its joint.
then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket.
23 For I dreaded destruction from God; because of his majesty, I was not able to do those things.
For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.
24 If I have made gold my hope, and if I have said to fine gold, 'You are what I am confident in';
If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security,
25 if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, because my hand had gotten many possessions, then bring charges against me!
if I have rejoiced in my great wealth because my hand had gained so much,
26 If I have seen the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in its brightness,
if I have beheld the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor,
27 and if my heart has been secretly attracted, so that my mouth has kissed my hand in worship of them—
so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,
28 this also would be a crime to be punished by judges, for I would have denied the God who is above.
this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have denied God on high.
29 If I have rejoiced at the destruction of anyone who hated me or congratulated myself when disaster overtook him, then bring charges against me!
If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin, or exulted when evil befell him—
30 Indeed, I have not even allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse.
I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse—
31 If the men of my tent have never said, 'Who can find one who has not been filled with Job's food?'
if the men of my house have not said, ‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’—
32 (even the foreigner has never had to stay in the city square, because I have always opened my doors to the traveler), and if that is not so, then bring charges against me!
but no stranger had to lodge on the street, for my door has been open to the traveler—
33 If, like mankind, I have hidden my sins by hiding my guilt inside my tunic
if I have covered my transgressions like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart,
34 (because I feared the great multitude, because the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside), then bring charges against me!
because I greatly feared the crowds and the contempt of the clans terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside—
35 Oh, if only I had someone to hear me! See, here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me! If only I had the indictment that my opponent has written!
(Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser compose an indictment.
36 Surely I would carry it openly on my shoulder; I would put it on like a crown.
Surely I would carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown.
37 I would declare to him an accounting for my steps; as a confident prince I would go up to him.
I would give account of all my steps; I would approach Him like a prince.)—
38 If my land ever cries out against me, and its furrows weep together,
if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together,
39 if I have eaten its harvest without paying for it or have caused its owners to lose their lives,
if I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants,
40 then let thorns grow instead of wheat and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are finished.
then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job.
