31:1 “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl.
31:2 For what is man’s lot from God above, his heritage from the Almighty on high?
31:3 Is it not ruin for the wicked, disaster for those who do wrong?
31:4 Does he not see my ways and count my every step?
31:5 “If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has hurried after deceit–
31:6 let God weigh me in honest scales and he will know that I am blameless–
31:7 if my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has been led by my eyes, or if my hands have been defiled,
31:8 then may others eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.
31:9 “If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,
31:10 then may my wife grind another man’s grain, and may other men sleep with her.
31:11 For that would have been shameful, a sin to be judged.
31:12 It is a fire that burns to Destruction; it would have uprooted my harvest.
31:13 “If I have denied justice to my menservants and maidservants when they had a grievance against me,
31:14 what will I do when God confronts me? What will I answer when called to account?
31:15 Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?
31:16 “If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary,
31:17 if I have kept my bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless–
31:18 but from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my birth I guided the widow–
31:19 if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a garment,
31:20 and his heart did not bless me for warming him with the fleece from my sheep,
31:21 if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, knowing that I had influence in court,
31:22 then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let it be broken off at the joint.
31:23 For I dreaded destruction from God, and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things.
31:24 “If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’
31:25 if I have rejoiced over my great wealth, the fortune my hands had gained,
31:26 if I have regarded the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor,
31:27 so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,
31:28 then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.
31:29 “If I have rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortune or gloated over the trouble that came to him–
31:30 I have not allowed my mouth to sin by invoking a curse against his life–
31:31 if the men of my household have never said, ‘Who has not had his fill of Job’s meat?’–
31:32 but no stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveler–
31:33 if I have concealed my sin as men do, by hiding my guilt in my heart
31:34 because I so feared the crowd and so dreaded the contempt of the clans that I kept silent and would not go outside
31:35 (“Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense–let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing.
31:36 Surely I would wear it on my shoulder, I would put it on like a crown.
31:37 I would give him an account of my every step; like a prince I would approach him.)–
31:38 “if my land cries out against me and all its furrows are wet with tears,
31:39 if I have devoured its yield without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants,
31:40 then let briers come up instead of wheat and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
31:1 I made a covenant with my eyes; / How then can I gaze upon a virgin?
31:2 What then is the portion from God above, / Or the inheritance of the Almighty on high?
31:3 Is it not calamity for the unjust / And misfortune for the workers of iniquity?
31:4 Does He not see my ways / And count all my steps?
31:5 If I have walked with falsehood, / And my foot has hastened after deceit ?
31:6 Let Him weigh me in a righteous balance, / And let God know my integrity ?
31:7 If my step has turned from the way, / And my heart has gone after my own eyes, / And if any spot has stuck to my hands;
31:8 May I sow and another eat; / Indeed may my produce be rooted up.
31:9 If my heart has been enticed into following after a woman, / Or I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door;
31:10 May my wife grind for another, / And may others kneel over her.
31:11 For that would have been a heinous act, / And it would be wickedness, to be punished by the judges.
31:12 For it is a fire that devours to Abaddon / And would root up all my increase.
31:13 If I have despised the cause of my servant or my maid / When they contended with me,
31:14 What then will I do when God rises up? / And when He visits me, what will I answer Him?
31:15 Did not He who made me in the womb make him? / And was it not One who fashioned us in the womb?
31:16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, / Or have let the eyes of the widow fail,
31:17 Or have eaten my morsel alone / Without the orphan eating of it ?
31:18 Rather, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, / And from my mother’s womb I guided the widow ?
31:19 If I have seen someone perishing from lack of clothing / Or that the needy had no covering;
31:20 If his loins have not blessed me, / And he has not been made warm with the fleece of my sheep;
31:21 If I have raised my hand against the orphan / Because I saw that I had support among those in the gate;
31:22 May my shoulder blade fall from the shoulder, / And may my arm be broken at the elbow.
31:23 For calamity from God is dreadful to me, / And because of His majesty I can do nothing.
31:24 If I have made gold my hope, / And have called fine gold my confidence;
31:25 If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great / And because my hand had acquired much;
31:26 If I have looked at the sun when it shone / Or the moon going on in splendor,
31:27 And my heart has been secretly enticed, / And my mouth has kissed my hand;
31:28 It too would be wickedness, to be punished by the judges, / For I would have denied God above.
31:29 If I have rejoiced at the misfortune of him who hated me, / Or have exulted when evil found him ?
31:30 Rather, I have not allowed my mouth to sin / By asking for his life with a curse ?
31:31 If the men of my tent have not said, / Who can find one who has not been filled with our master’s meat? ?
31:32 The sojourner has not lodged in the street; / I have opened my doors to the highway ?
31:33 If I have covered my transgressions as Adam did / By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
31:34 Because I so dreaded the great multitude, / And the contempt of the families so frightened me, / That I was silent and did not go out my door ?
31:35 Oh, that I had someone to hear me! / Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me. / And let my accuser write up the charge.
31:36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; / I would bind it onto me like a crown;
31:37 I would declare to Him the number of my steps; / Like a prince I would approach Him!
31:38 If my land cries out against me, / And its furrows weep together;
31:39 If I have eaten its strength without money, / And have caused its owners to lose their life;
31:40 May thorns come forth instead of wheat, / And pungent weeds instead of barley. / The words of Job are ended.