Job — Chapter 31

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

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

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

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

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

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

7If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;

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

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

10Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.

11For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

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

13If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;

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

15Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?

16If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

17Or 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;)

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

20If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

34Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?

35Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.

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

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

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

39If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

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

1I made a covenant with mine eyes; How then should I look upon a virgin?

2For what is the portion from God above, And the heritage from the Almighty on high?

3Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, And disaster to the workers of iniquity?

4Doth not he see my ways, And number all my steps?

5If I have walked with falsehood, And my foot hath hasted to deceit

6(Let me be weighed in an even balance, That God may know mine integrity);

7If my step hath turned out of the way, And my heart walked after mine eyes, And if any spot hath cleaved to my hands:

8Then let me sow, and let another eat; Yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

9If my heart hath been enticed unto a woman, And I have laid wait at my neighbor`s door;

10Then let my wife grind unto another, And let others bow down upon her.

11For that were a heinous crime; Yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges:

12For it is a fire that consumeth unto Destruction, And would root out all mine increase.

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

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

15Did not he that made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?

16If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire, Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17Or have eaten my morsel alone, And the fatherless hath not eaten thereof

18(Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, And her have I guided from my mother`s womb);

19If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, Or that the needy had no covering;

20If his loins have not blessed me, And if he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, Because I saw my help in the gate:

22Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, And mine arm be broken from the bone.

23For calamity from God is a terror to me, And by reason of his majesty I can do nothing.

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

25If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gotten much;

26If I have beheld the sun when it shined, Or the moon walking in brightness,

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

28This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; For I should have denied the God that is above.

29If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, Or lifted up myself when evil found him;

30(Yea, I have not suffered by mouth to sin By asking his life with a curse);

31If the men of my tent have not said, Who can find one that hath not been filled with his meat?

32(The sojourner hath not lodged in the street; But I have opened my doors to the traveller);

33If like Adam I have covered my transgressions, By hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,

34Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence, and went not out of the door-

35Oh that I had one to hear me! (Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me); And [that I had] the indictment which mine adversary hath written!

36Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown:

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

38If my land crieth out against me, And the furrows thereof weep together;

39If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, Or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

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

1“I made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I entertain thoughts against a virgin?

2What then would be one’s lot from God above, one’s heritage from the Almighty on high?

3Is it not misfortune for the unjust and disaster for those who work iniquity?

4Does he not see my ways and count all my steps?

5If I have walked in falsehood and if my foot has hastened to deceit—

6let him weigh me with honest scales; then God will discover my integrity.

7If my footsteps have strayed from the way, if my heart has gone after my eyes, or if anything has defiled my hands,

8then let me sow and let another eat, and let my crops be uprooted.

9If my heart has been enticed by a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door,

10then let my wife turn the millstone for another man, and may other men commit adultery with her.

11For I would have committed a shameful act, an iniquity to be judged.

12For it is a fire that devours even to Destruction, and it would uproot all my harvest.

13“If I have disregarded the right of my male servants or my female servants when they disputed with me,

14then what will I do when God confronts me in judgment; when he intervenes, how will I respond to him?

15Did not the one who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us in the womb?

16If I have refused to give the poor what they desired, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17if I ate my morsel of bread myself, and did not share any of it with orphans—

18but from my youth I raised the orphan like a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—

19if I have seen anyone about to perish for lack of clothing, or a poor man without a coat,

20whose heart did not bless me as he warmed himself with the fleece of my sheep,

21if I have raised my hand to vote against the orphan, when I saw my support in the court,

22then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let my arm be broken off at the socket.

23For the calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his majesty I was powerless.

24“If I have put my confidence in gold or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security!’

25if I have rejoiced because of the extent of my wealth, or because of the great wealth my hand had gained,

26if I looked at the sun when it was shining, and the moon advancing as a precious thing,

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

28then this also would be iniquity to be judged, for I would have been false to God above.

29If I have rejoiced over the misfortune of my enemy or exulted because calamity found him—

30I have not even permitted my mouth to sin by asking for his life through a curse—

31if the members of my household have never said, ‘If only there were someone who has not been satisfied from Job’s meat!’—

32but no stranger had to spend the night outside, for I opened my doors to the traveler—

33if I have covered my transgressions as men do, by hiding iniquity in my heart,

34because I was terrified of the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I remained silent and would not go outdoors—

35“If only I had someone to hear me! Here is my signature— let the Almighty answer me! If only I had an indictment that my accuser had written.

36Surely I would wear it proudly on my shoulder, I would bind it on me like a crown;

37I would give him an accounting of my steps; like a prince I would draw near to him.

38“If my land cried out against me and all its furrows wept together,

39if I have eaten its produce without paying, or caused the death of its owners,

40then let thorns sprout up in place of wheat, and in place of barley, noxious weeds.” The words of Job are ended.

1“I made a covenant with my eyes, how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?

2For what is the portion from God above, and the heritage from the Almighty on high?

3Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?

4Doesn’t he see my ways, and count all my steps?

5“If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit

6(let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity);

7if my step has turned out of the way, if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to my hands,

8then let me sow, and let another eat. Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

9“If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door,

10then let my wife grind for another, and let others sleep with her.

11For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges:

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

13“If I have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, when they contended with me;

14What then shall I do when God rises up? When he visits, what shall I answer him?

15Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him? Didn’t 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,

17or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it

18(no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, her I have guided from my mother’s womb);

19if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;

20if his heart hasn’t blessed me, if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece;

21if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate,

22then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.

23For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because his majesty, I can do nothing.

24“If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence;’

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

26if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor,

27and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,

28this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for I should have denied the God who is above.

29“If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him

30(yes, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse);

31if the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’

32(the foreigner has not camped in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler);

33if like Adam I have covered my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my heart,

34because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and didn’t go out of the door—

35oh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me! Let the accuser write my indictment!

36Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; and I would bind it to me as a crown.

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

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

39if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life,

40let briers grow instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.