Job 31

1 I made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

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

2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of 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 to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?

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

4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?

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

5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;

If I have walked with vanity, and my foot hath hasted to deceit;

6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity.

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

7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and my heart walked after my eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to my hands;

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 let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.

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

9 If my heart hath been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’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 to another, and let others bow down upon her.

Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.

11 For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

For that were an heinous crime; yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges:

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

For it is a fire that consumeth unto Destruction, and would root out all mine increase.

13 If I despised the cause of my male or female servant, when they contended with me;

If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me:

14 What then 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? and 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 withheld the poor from their desire, or have 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 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten of it;

Or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;

18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her 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 perish for want of clothing, or any poor 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 if 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 lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when 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 let my arm fall from my shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the 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 by reason of his highness I could not endure.

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 hope, or have 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 because my hand had gained much;

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

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

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

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

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

28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that 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, or have lifted up myself when evil found him:

If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him;

30 Neither have I allowed my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

(Yea, I suffered not my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse; )

31 If the men of my tent have not said, O that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.

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: but I opened my doors to the traveller.

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

33 If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom:

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

34 Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?

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 one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that my adversary had written a book.

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 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.

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

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

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

38 If my land crieth against me, or its furrows likewise complain;

If my land cry out against me, and the furrows thereof weep together;

39 If I have eaten the fruits of it without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life:

If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and 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.