Job 31

1I made a covenant with mine eyes; and how should I fix my regard upon a maid?

1I made a covenant with my eyes, that I would not so much as think upon a virgin.

2For what would have been [my] portion ofGod from above, and what the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

2For what part should God from above have in me, and what inheritance the Almighty from on high?

3Is not calamity for the unrighteous? and misfortune for the workers of iniquity?

3Is not destruction to the wicked, and aversion to them that work iniquity?

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

4Doth not he consider my ways, and number all my steps?

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

5If I have walked in vanity, and my foot hath made haste to deceit:

6(Let me be weighed in an even balance, andGod will take knowledge of my blamelessness;)

6Let him weigh me in a just balance, and let God know my simplicity.

7If my step have turned out of the way, and my heart followed mine eyes, and if any blot cleaveth to my hands;

7If my step hath turned out of the way, and if my heart hath followed my eyes, and if a spot hath cleaved to my hands:

8Let me sow, and another eat; and let mine offspring be rooted out.

8Then let me sow and let another reap: and let my offspring be rooted out.

9If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, so that I laid wait at my neighbour's door,

9If my heart hath been deceived upon a woman, and if I have laid wait at my friend's door:

10Let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down upon her.

10Let my wife be the harlot of another, and let other men lie with her.

11For this is an infamy; yea, it is an iniquity [to be judged by] the judges:

11For this is a heinous crime, and a most grievous iniquity.

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

12It is a fire that devoureth even to destruction, and rooteth up all things that spring.

13If I have despised the cause of my bondman or of my bondmaid, when they contended with me,

13If I have despised to abide judgment with my manservant, or my maidservant, when they had any controversy against me:

14What then should I do whenGod riseth up? and if he visited, what should I answer him?

14For what shall I do when God shall rise to judge? and when he shall examine, 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?

15Did not he that made me in the womb make him also: and did not one and the same form me in the womb?

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

16If I have denied to the poor what they desired, and have made the eyes of the widow wait:

17Or have eaten my morsel alone, so that the fatherless ate not thereof,

17If I have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof:

18(For from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided the [widow] from my mother's womb;)

18(For from my infancy mercy grew up with me: and it came out with me from my mother's womb:)

19If I have seen any perishing for want of clothing, or any needy without covering;

19If I have despised him that was perishing for want of clothing, and the poor man that had no covering:

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

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

21If I have lifted up my hand against an orphan, because I saw my help in the gate:

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

22[Then] let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone!

22Let my shoulder fall from its joint, and let my arm with its bones be broken.

23For calamity fromGod was a terror to me, and by reason of his excellency I was powerless.

23For I have always feared God as waves swelling over me, and his weight I was unable to bear.

24If I have made gold my hope, or said to the fine gold, My confidence!

24If I have thought gold my strength, and have said to fine gold: My confidence:

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

25If I have rejoiced over my great riches, and because my hand had gotten much.

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

26If I beheld the sun when it shined and the moon going in brightness:

27And my heart have been secretly enticed, so that my mouth kissed my hand:

27And my heart in secret hath rejoiced, and I have kissed my hand with my mouth:

28This also would be an iniquity for the judge, for I should have denied theGod who is above.

28Which is a very great iniquity, and a denial against the most high God.

29If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, and exulted when evil befell him;

29If I have been glad at the downfall of him that hated me, and have rejoiced that evil had found him.

30(Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse;)

30For I have not been given my mouth to sin, by wishing a curse to his soul.

31If the men of my tent said not, Who shall find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat? —

31If the men of my tabernacle have not said: Who will give us of his flesh that we may be filled?

32The stranger did not lodge without; I opened my doors to the pathway.

32The stranger did not stay without, my door was open to the traveller.

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

33If as a man I have hid my sin, and have concealed my 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, ...

34If I have been afraid at a very great multitude, and the contempt of kinsmen hath terrified me: and have not rather held my peace, and not gone out of the door.

35Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold my signature: let the Almighty answer me! And let mine opponent write an accusation!

35Who would grant me a hearing, that the Almighty may hear my desire: and that he himself that judgeth would write a book,

36Would I not take it upon my shoulder? I would bind it on to me [as] a crown;

36That I may carry it on my shoulder, and put it about me as a crown?

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

37At every step of mine I would pronounce it, and offer it as to a prince.

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

38If my land cry against me, and with it the furrows thereof mourn:

39If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have tormented to death the souls of its owners:

39If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have afflicted the son of the tillers thereof:

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

40Let thistles grow up to me instead of wheat, and thorns instead of barley.