Job 31

1. “I made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I look upon a virgin?

2. For what is the portion from God above? And what is the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

3. Is not destruction for the wicked, and calamity to the workers of iniquity?

4. Does He not see my ways, and count all my steps?

5. If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot has hurried to deceit,

6. Let me be weighed in an even balance so that God may know that I am blameless.

7. If my step has turned out of the way, or my heart has walked after my eyes, and if any spot has cleaved to my hands;

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

9. If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door,

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

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

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

13. If I despised the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they complained against me;

14. What then shall I do when God rises up? And when He calls me to account, what shall I answer Him?

15. Did not He who made me in the womb make him also? 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 has not eaten of it—

18. For from my youth he grew up with me, as with a father, and from infancy I guided her—

19. If I have seen any perish for lack of clothing, or there was no covering for the needy;

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

21. If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless when I watched over my help in the gate;

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

23. For calamity from God is a terror to me, and by reason of His majesty I could do nothing.

24. If I have made gold my hope, or have called fine gold my confidence;

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

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

27. And my heart has been secretly enticed, or my mouth has kissed my hand;

28. This also would be an iniquity for the judges to punish; for I would have lied to God who is above.

29. If I rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or exulted myself when evil found him;

30. Verily I have not allowed my mouth to sin by wishing for a curse on his life;

31. If the men of my tabernacle did not say, ‘Who can find one who has not been satisfied with his meat?’

32. The stranger did not sleep in the street, for I opened my doors to the traveler.

33. If I covered my transgressions like Adam, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

34. Then let me tremble before a great multitude, and be terrified by the scorn of families; and I will be silent and not go out the door.

35. Oh, that I had one to hear me! Behold, my desire is that the Almighty would answer me, and the indictment that my adversary had written.

36. Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, and bind it like a crown upon my head.

37. I would declare to Him the number of my steps; like a prince I would come before Him.

38. If my land cry against me, or its furrows weep together;

39. If I have eaten its strength without paying for it, or have caused its owners to lose their life,

40. Let thorns come forth instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.