Job 31

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

“I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin?

2 For what portion of God [is there] from above? and [what] inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

For what is the allotment of God from above, or the heritage from the Almighty on high?

3 [Is] not destruction to the wicked? and a strange [punishment] to the workers of iniquity?

Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity?

4 Doth not he 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 vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;

If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has rushed to deceit,

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

let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my 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 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; yes, let my offspring be rooted out.

then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.

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

then may my own wife grind grain for another, and may other men sleep with her.

11 For this [is] a hainous crime; yea, it [is] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges.

For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged.

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

For it is a fire that burns down to Abaddon; it would root out my entire harvest.

13 If I despised the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant, when they contended with me;

If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservant when they made a complaint against me,

14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?

what will I do when God rises to judge? How will I answer when called to account?

15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us 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 the poor from [their] desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

If I have denied the desires of the poor or allowed the widow’s eyes to fail,

17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten of it;

if I have eaten my morsel alone, not sharing it with the fatherless—

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; )

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 any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;

if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak,

20 If his loins have not blessed me, and [if] he hath not been warmed with the fleece 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 the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:

if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate,

22 [Then] let my arm fall from my shoulder-blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.

then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket.

23 For destruction [from] God [was] a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.

24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, [Thou art] my confidence;

If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security,

25 If I have rejoiced because my wealth [was] great, and because my hand had gained much;

if I have rejoiced in my great wealth because my hand had gained so much,

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

if I have beheld the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor,

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

so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,

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

If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin, or exulted when evil befell him—

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

I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse—

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

if the men of my house have not said, ‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’—

32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: [but] I opened my doors to the traveler.

but no stranger had to lodge on the street, for my door has been open to the traveler—

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

if I have covered my transgressions like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart,

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 greatly feared the crowds and the contempt of the clans terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside—

35 Oh 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! Here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser compose an indictment.

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

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown.

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

I would give account of all my steps; I would approach Him like a prince.)—

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

if my land cries out against me and its furrows 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 devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants,

40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.

then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job.