Job 31

₁“I have made a covenant with my eyes;

how then could I gaze at a virgin?

₂What would be my portion from God above

and my heritage from the Almighty on high?

₃Is not calamity for the unrighteous,

and disaster for the workers of iniquity?

₄Does not he see my ways

and number all my steps?

₅“If I have walked with falsehood

and my foot has hastened to deceit;

₆(Let me be weighed in a just balance,

and let God know my integrity!)

₇if my step has turned aside from the way

and my heart has gone after my eyes,

and if any spot has stuck to my hands,

₈then let me sow, and another eat,

and let what grows for me be rooted out.

₉“If my heart has been enticed toward a woman,

and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door,

₁₀then let my wife grind for another,

and let others bow down on her.

₁₁For that would be a heinous crime;

that would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges;

₁₂for that would be a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon,

and it would burn to the root all my increase.

₁₃“If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant,

when they brought a complaint against me,

₁₄what then shall I do when God rises up?

When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?

₁₅Did not he who made me in the womb make him?

And did not one fashion us in the womb?

₁₆“If I have withheld anything that the poor desired,

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(for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father,

and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow),

₁₉if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,

or the needy without covering,

₂₀if his body has not blessed me,

and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

₂₁if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,

because I saw my help in the gate,

₂₂then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,

and let my arm be broken from its socket.

₂₃For I was in terror of calamity from God,

and I could not have faced his majesty.

₂₄“If I have made gold my trust

or called fine gold my confidence,

₂₅if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant

or because my hand had found much,

₂₆if I have looked at the sun when it shone,

or the moon moving in splendor,

₂₇and my heart has been secretly enticed,

and my mouth has kissed my hand,

₂₈this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,

for I would have been false to God above.

₂₉“If I have rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me,

or exulted when evil overtook him

₃₀(I have not let my mouth sin

by asking for his life with a curse),

₃₁if the men of my tent have not said,

‘Who is there that has not been filled with his meat?’

₃₂(the sojourner has not lodged in the street;

I have opened my doors to the traveler),

₃₃if I have concealed my transgressions as others do

by hiding my iniquity in my heart,

₃₄because I stood in great fear of the multitude,

and the contempt of families terrified me,

so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors—

₃₅Oh, that I had one to hear me!

(Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!)

Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary!

₃₆Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;

I would bind it on me as a crown;

₃₇I would give him an account of all my steps;

like a prince I would approach him.

₃₈“If my land has cried out against me

and its furrows have wept together,

₃₉if I have eaten its yield without payment

and made its owners breathe their last,

₄₀let thorns grow instead of wheat,

and foul weeds instead of barley.”