Job 31
1 I made a covenant with mine eyes, and I will not think upon a virgin.
I made an agreement with my eyes; how then might my eyes be looking on a virgin?
2 Now what portion has God given from above? and is there an inheritance [given] of the Mighty One from the highest?
For what is God's reward from on high, or the heritage given by the Ruler of all from heaven?
3 Alas! destruction to the unrighteous, and rejection to them that do iniquity.
Is it not trouble for the sinner, and destruction for the evil-doers?
4 Will he not see my way, and number all my steps?
Does he not see my ways, and are not my steps all numbered?
5 But if I had gone with scorners, and if too my foot has hasted to deceit:
If I have gone in false ways, or my foot has been quick in working deceit;
6 (for I am weighed in a just balance, and the Lord knows my innocence: )
(Let me be measured in upright scales, and let God see my righteousness: )
7 if my foot has turned aside out of the way, or if mine heart has followed mine eye, and if too I have touched gifts with my hands;
If my steps have been turned out of the way, or if my heart went after my eyes, or if the property of another is in my hands;
8 then let me sow, and let others eat; and let me be uprooted on the earth.
Let me put seed in the earth for another to have the fruit of it, and let my produce be uprooted.
9 If my heart has gone forth after another man's wife, and if I laid wait at her doors;
If my heart went after another man's wife, or if I was waiting secretly at my neighbour's door;
10 then let my wife also please another, and let my children be brought low.
Then let my wife give pleasure to another man and let others make use of her body.
11 For the rage of anger is not to be controlled, [in the case] of defiling [another] man's wife.
For that would be a crime; it would be an act for which punishment would be measured out by the judges:
12 For it is a fire burning on every side, and whoever it attacks, it utterly destroys.
It would be a fire burning even to destruction, and taking away all my produce.
13 And if too I despised the judgment of my servant or [my] handmaid, when they pleaded with me;
If I did wrong in the cause of my man-servant, or my woman-servant, when they went to law with me;
14 what then shall I do if the Lord should try me? and if also he should at all visit me, can I make an answer?
What then will I do when God comes as my judge? and what answer may I give to his questions?
15 Were not they too formed as I also was formed in the womb? yes, we were formed in the same womb.
Did not God make him as well as me? did he not give us life in our mothers' bodies?
16 But the helpless missed not whatever need they had, and I did not cause the eye of the widow to fail.
If I kept back the desire of the poor; if the widow's eye was looking for help to no purpose;
17 And if too I ate my morsel alone, and did not impart [of it] to the orphan;
If I kept my food for myself, and did not give some of it to the child with no father;
18 (for I nourished [them] as a father from my youth and guided [them] from my mother's womb.)
(For I was cared for by God as by a father from my earliest days; he was my guide from the body of my mother; )
19 And if too I overlooked the naked as he was perishing, and did not clothe him;
If I saw one near to death for need of clothing, and that the poor had nothing covering him;
20 and if the poor did not bless me, and their shoulders were [not] warmed with the fleece of my lambs;
If his back did not give me a blessing, and the wool of my sheep did not make him warm;
21 if I lifted my hand against an orphan, trusting that my strength was far superior [to his]:
If my hand had been lifted up against him who had done no wrong, when I saw that I was supported by the judges;
22 let them my shoulder start from the blade-bone, and my arm be crushed off from the elbow.
May my arm be pulled from my body, and be broken from its base.
23 For the fear of the Lord constrained me, and I can’t bear up by reason of his burden.
For the fear of God kept me back, and because of his power I might not do such things.
24 If I made gold my treasure, and if too I trusted the precious stone;
If I made gold my hope, or if I ever said to the best gold, I have put my faith in you;
25 and if too I rejoiced when my wealth was abundant, and if too I laid my hand on innumerable [treasures]:
If I was glad because my wealth was great, and because my hand had got together a great store;
26 (do we not see the shining sun eclipsed, and the moon waning? for they have not [power to continue]: )
If, when I saw the sun shining, and the moon moving on its bright way,
27 and if my heart was secretly deceived, and if I have laid my hand upon my mouth and kissed it:
A secret feeling of worship came into my heart, and my hand gave kisses from my mouth;
28 let this also then be reckoned to me as the greatest iniquity: for I [should] have lied against the Lord Most High.
That would have been another sin to be rewarded with punishment by the judges; for I would have been false to God on high.
29 And if too I was glad at the fall of mine enemies, and mine heart said, Aha!
If I was glad at the trouble of my hater, and gave cries of joy when evil overtook him;
30 let then mine ear hear my curse, and let me be a byword among my people in my affliction.
(For I did not let my mouth give way to sin, in putting a curse on his life; )
31 And if too my handmaids have often said, Oh that we might be satisfied with his flesh; (whereas I was very kind:
If the men of my tent did not say, Who has not had full measure of his meat?
32 for the stranger did not lodge without, and my door was opened to every one that came: )
The traveller did not take his night's rest in the street, and my doors were open to anyone on a journey;
33 or if too having sinned unintentionally, I hid my sin;
If I kept my evil doings covered, and my sin in the secret of my breast,
34 (for I did not stand in awe of a great multitude, so as not to declare boldly before them: ) and if too I permitted a poor man to go out of my door with an empty bosom:
For fear of the great body of people, or for fear that families might make sport of me, so that I kept quiet, and did not go out of my door;
35 (Oh that I had a hearer, ) and if I had not feared the hand of the Lord; and [as to] the written charge which I had against any one,
If only God would give ear to me, and the Ruler of all would give me an answer! or if what he has against me had been put in writing!
36 I would place [it] as a chaplet on my shoulders, and read it.
Truly I would take up the book in my hands; it would be to me as a crown;
37 And if I did not read it and return it, having taken nothing from the debtor:
I would make clear the number of my steps, I would put it before him like a prince! The words of Job are ended.
38 If at any time the land groaned against me, and if its furrows mourned together;
If my land has made an outcry against me, or the ploughed earth has been in sorrow;
39 and if I ate its strength alone without price, and if I too grieved the heart of the owner of the soil, by taking [anything] from [him]:
If I have taken its produce without payment, causing the death of its owners;
40 then let the nettle come up to me instead of wheat, and a bramble instead of barley. And Job ceased speaking.
Then in place of grain let thorns come up, and in place of barley evil-smelling plants.
