Job 31
1 I made a couenant with mine eyes: why then should I thinke on a mayde?
I vowed to myself never to look with desire at young women.
2 For what portion should I haue of God from aboue? and what inheritance of the Almightie from on hie?
What should people expect to receive from God? What reward should the Almighty on high give them?
3 Is not destruction to the wicked and strange punishment to the workers of iniquitie?
Isn't it disaster for the wicked and destruction for those who do wrong?
4 Doeth not he beholde my wayes and tell all my steps?
Doesn't God see everything I do—even count every step I take?
5 If I haue walked in vanitie, or if my foote hath made haste to deceite,
Have I lived a deceitful life? Have I been eager to tell lies?
6 Let God weigh me in the iust balance, and he shall know mine vprightnes.
No! Let God weigh me on the scales of his justice and let him discover my integrity.
7 If my steppe hath turned out of the way, or mine heart hath walked after mine eye, or if any blot hath cleaued to mine handes,
If I have wandered from God's way, if I have let what I see become my desires, if there's any stain of sin on my hands,
8 Let me sowe, and let another eate: yea, let my plantes be rooted out.
then let someone else eat what I have sown, and all that I have grown be uprooted.
9 If mine heart hath bene deceiued by a woman, or if I haue layde wayte at the doore of my neighbour,
If a woman has seduced me, or if I have looked for an opportunity to sleep with my neighbor's wife,
10 Let my wife grinde vnto another man, and let other men bow downe vpon her:
then let my wife serve another, let other men sleep with her.
11 For this is a wickednes, and iniquitie to bee condemned:
For that would be wicked, a sin deserving punishment,
12 Yea, this is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction, and which shall roote out al mine increase,
for this sin is like a fire that leads to destruction, destroying everything I have.
13 If I did contemne the iudgement of my seruant, and of my mayde, when they did contend with me,
If I had refused to listen to my menservants or maidservants when they brought their complaints to me,
14 What then shall I do when God standeth vp? and when he shall visit me, what shall I answere?
what would I do when God came to judge me? How would I reply if he investigated me?
15 He that hath made me in the wombe, hath he not made him? hath not he alone facioned vs in the wombe?
Didn't the same God make all of us?
16 If I restrained the poore of their desire, or haue caused the eyes of the widow to faile,
Have I refused to give the poor what they needed, or caused widows to despair?
17 Or haue eaten my morsels alone, and the fatherles hath not eaten thereof,
Have I even eaten just a piece of bread by myself? Haven't I always shared my food with orphans?
18 (For from my youth hee hath growen vp with me as with a father, and from my mothers wombe I haue bene a guide vnto her)
From when I was young I was a father to orphans and took care of widows.
19 If I haue seene any perish for want of clothing, or any poore without couering,
If ever I saw someone needing clothes, the poor without anything to wear,
20 If his loynes haue not blessed me, because he was warmed with the fleece of my sheepe,
they always thanked me for the wool clothing that kept them warm.
21 If I haue lift vp mine hande against the fatherlesse, when I saw that I might helpe him in the gate,
If I raised my hand to hit an orphan, confident that if it came to court the judges would be on my side,
22 Let mine arme fal from my shoulder, and mine arme be broken from the bone.
then let my shoulder be pulled from its joint, my arm wrenched out of its socket.
23 For Gods punishment was fearefull vnto me, and I could not be deliuered from his highnes.
Since I'm terrified of what punishment God may have in store for me, and because of his majesty, I could never do this.
24 If I made gold mine hope, or haue sayd to the wedge of golde, Thou art my confidence,
Have I put my trust in gold, calling fine gold, ‘My security’?
25 If I reioyced because my substance was great, or because mine hand had gotten much,
Have I delighted in being rich, happy at all my wealth I had gained?
26 If I did behold the sunne, when it shined, or the moone, walking in her brightnes,
Have I looked at the sun shining so brilliantly or the moon moving in majesty across the sky
27 If mine heart did flatter me in secrete, or if my mouth did kisse mine hand,
and been tempted to secretly worship them by kissing my hand to them in devotion?
28 (This also had bene an iniquitie to be condemned: for I had denied the God aboue)
This too would be a sin deserving punishment for it would mean I had denied God above.
29 If I reioyced at his destruction that hated me, or was mooued to ioye when euill came vpon him,
Have I ever been happy when disaster destroyed those who hated me, or celebrated when evil took them down?
30 Neither haue I suffred my mouth to sinne, by wishing a curse vnto his soule.
I have never allowed my mouth to sin by putting a curse on someone's life.
31 Did not the men of my Tabernacle say, Who shall giue vs of his flesh? we can not bee satisfied.
Haven't my family asked, ‘Is there anyone who has not eaten as much as they wanted of his food?’
32 The stranger did not lodge in the streete, but I opened my doores vnto him, that went by the way.
I have never let strangers sleep in the street; I have opened my doors to travelers.
33 If I haue hid my sinne, as Adam, concealing mine iniquitie in my bosome,
Have I concealed my sins from others, hiding my wrongdoing deep inside me?
34 Though I could haue made afraid a great multitude, yet the most contemptible of the families did feare me: so I kept silence, and went not out of the doore.
Was I afraid of what everybody else would think, scared of the contempt families would show me, so that I kept quiet and didn't go outside?
35 Oh that I had some to heare me! beholde my signe that the Almightie will witnesse for me: though mine aduersary should write a booke against me,
Why won't anyone listen to what I'm saying! I'm signing my name to endorse everything I've said. Let the Almighty answer me. Let my accuser write down what he is charging me with.
36 Woulde not I take it vpon my shoulder, and binde it as a crowne vnto me?
I would hold them up high; I would wear them on my head like a crown.
37 I will tell him the nomber of my goings, and goe vnto him as to a prince.
I would explain to him everything I'd done; I would hold my head high before him.
38 If my lande cry against me, or the furrowes thereof complayne together,
If my land has cried out against me; if her furrows have wept over me;
39 If I haue eaten the fruites thereof without siluer: or if I haue grieued the soules of the masters thereof,
if I have taken its crops without payment or if I have caused harm to the farmers;
40 Let thistles growe in steade of wheate, and cockle in the stead of Barley. The wordes of Iob are ended.
then let thorns grow instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
