Job 31
1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then should I look with desire on 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 portion from God above, the inheritance from the Almighty on high?
3 [Is] not destruction to the wicked? and a strange [punishment] to the workers of iniquity?
I used to think that calamity is for unrighteous people, and that disaster is for doers of wickedness.
4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
Does not God see my ways and count all my steps?
5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
If I have walked with falsehood, if my foot has hurried to deceit,
6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.
let me be weighed in an even balance so that God will know my integrity.
7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;
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,
8 [Then] let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
then let me sow, and let another eat, and let my crops be uprooted.
9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or [if] I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door;
If my heart has been deceived by a woman, if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door,
10 [Then] let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
then let my wife grind grain for another, and let others bow down on her.
11 For this [is] an heinous crime; yea, it [is] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges.
For that would be a terrible crime; indeed, it would be a crime to be punished by judges.
12 For it [is] a fire [that] consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
For that is a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn all my harvest to the root.
13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
If I ignored the plea for justice from my male or female servant when they argued with me,
14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
what then would I do when God rises up to accuse me? When he comes to judge me, how would 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 the one who made me in the womb not make them also? Did not the same one mold us all 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 poor people from their desire, or if I have caused the eyes of the widow to grow dim from crying,
17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
or if I have eaten my morsel alone and not allowed those without fathers to eat it also—
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; )
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.
19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or if I have seen that a needy man had no clothing;
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and [if] he were [not] warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
if his heart has not blessed me because he has not been warmed with the wool 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 fatherless people because I saw my support in the city gate, then bring charges against me!
22 [Then] let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
If I have done these things, then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and let my arm be broken from its joint.
23 For destruction [from] God [was] a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
For I dreaded destruction from God; because of his majesty, I was not able to do those things.
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 if I have said to fine gold, 'You are what I am confident in';
25 If I rejoiced because my wealth [was] great, and because mine hand had gotten much;
if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, because my hand had gotten many possessions, then bring charges against me!
26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking [in] brightness;
If I have seen the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in its brightness,
27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:
and if my heart has been secretly attracted, so that my mouth has kissed my hand in worship of them—
28 This also [were] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judge: for I should have denied the God [that is] above.
this also would be a crime to be punished by judges, for I would have denied the God who is above.
29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:
If I have rejoiced at the destruction of anyone who hated me or congratulated myself when disaster overtook him, then bring charges against me!
30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
Indeed, I have not even allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse.
31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
If the men of my tent have never said, 'Who can find one who has not been filled with Job's food?'
32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: [but] I opened my doors to the traveller.
(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!
33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:
If, like mankind, I have hidden my sins by hiding my guilt inside my tunic
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, because the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside), then bring charges against me!
35 Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire [is, that] the Almighty would answer me, and [that] mine adversary had written a book.
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!
36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, [and] bind it [as] a crown to me.
Surely I would carry it openly on my shoulder; I would put it on like a crown.
37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.
I would declare to him an accounting for my steps; as a confident prince I would go up to him.
38 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;
If my land ever cries out against me, and its furrows weep together,
39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:
if I have eaten its harvest without paying for it or have caused its owners to lose their lives,
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
then let thorns grow instead of wheat and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are finished.
