Job 31

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

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

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

4 Does He not see my ways and count my every step?

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

6 let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my integrity.

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

9 If my heart has been enticed by my neighbor’s wife, or I have lurked at his door,

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

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

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

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

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

15 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 denied the desires of the poor or allowed the widow’s eyes to fail,

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

18 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 one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak,

20 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 because I saw that I had support in the gate,

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

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

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

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

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

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

28 this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have denied God on high.

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

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

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

32 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 like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart,

34 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 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 carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown.

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

38 if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together,

39 if I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants,

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

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

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

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

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

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

6 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 mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;

8 [Then] let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.

9 ¶ If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or [if] I have laid wait at my neighbour's door;

10 [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.

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

13 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?

15 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;

17 Or have eaten my morsel myself 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;)

19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;

20 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:

22 [Then] let mine arm fall from my 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.

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

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

26 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:

28 This also [were] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judge: for I should have denied the God [that is] above.

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

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

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

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

33 ¶ If I covered my transgressions as Adam, 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?

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.

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

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

38 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;

39 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 cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.

1 I have made a covenant with mine eyes, that I should not regard a virgin.

2 But what reward doth God give me from above? and what inheritance doth the Almighty give me from on high?

3 Ought not the unjust to have such misfortune, and a transgressor to be so cast down?

4 Seeth he not my ways, and numbereth all my courses?

5 Have I walked in vanity? or hath my foot hastened to deceit?

6 Weigh me in the right balance, and God shall know my piety.

7 My walk is gone out of the way, and my heart followeth mine eyes; and there is something in my hands,

8 Then shall I sow, and another shall eat it, and my seed shall be rooted up.

9 My heart hath been provoked to wife, and I have lain in wait at my neighbour's door,

10 Let my wife be defiled by another, and let others put her to sleep.

11 For this is a vice and an iniquity unto the judges.

12 For that would be a fire that would consume to destruction, and root out all my income.

13 I have despised the right of my servant, or of my handmaid, when they had a matter against me,

14 What would I do when GOD arose, and what would I answer when He visited?

15 Did not he also make him that made me in the womb, and prepare him in the body likewise?

16 Have I denied the desire of the needy, and made the eyes of widows to languish?

17 Have I eaten mine own morsel, and not the fatherless also eaten thereof?

18 For I, from my youth, have kept myself as a father: and from my mother's womb I have been glad to comfort.

19 Have I seen a man perish because he had no raiment, and the poor man go without a covering?

20 Have not his sides blessed me, when he was warmed with the skins of my lambs?

21 I have laid my hand upon the fatherless, because I saw myself in the gate having power to help,

22 Then let my shoulder fall from the armpit, and my arm break from the tube.

23 For I fear GOD as an accident upon me, and could not bear his burden.

24 Have I put the gold for my confidence, and said unto the nugget of gold, My consolation?

25 Was I glad that I had great goods, and that my hand had gotten all things?

26 Have I looked upon the light when it shineth brightly, and upon the moon when it goeth full?

27 Hath my heart been secretly persuaded, that my hand may kiss my mouth?

28 Which also is an iniquity for the judges: for thereby would I have denied GOD from above.

29 Have I rejoiced when mine enemy was in evil, and exalted myself that evil had befallen him?

30 For I would not let my mouth sin, that he should desire a curse upon his soul.

31 Have not the men of my tabernacle said, O would God that we were not satisfied with his flesh!

32 the guest did not have to stay outside, but I opened my door to the wayfarer.

33 Have I covered my wickedness like a man, to hide my iniquity in secret?

34 Did I let myself be afraid of the great multitude, and was I put off by the contempt of friendships? I remained silent and did not go out the door.

35 Who shall give me an interrogator, that my desire may be heard of the Almighty, that someone may write a book of my cause?

36 Then would I take it upon mine armpits, and bind it about me like a crown.

37 I would declare the number of my courses, and like a prince would I offer them.

38 My land shall cry out against me, and shall weep her furrows together;

39 I have eaten its fruit without payment, and have made the life of the husbandmen sour,

40 So I grow thistles for wheat and thorns for barley. The words of Job have an end.