Job 31

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

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

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

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

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

Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity. {Let...: Heb. Let him weigh me in balances of justice}

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb? {did not one...: or, did he not fashion us in one womb?}

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

Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;

(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as {with} a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;) {her: that is, the widow}

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

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

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

{Then} let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone. {bone: or, chanelbone}

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

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

If I rejoiced because my wealth {was} great, and because mine hand had gotten much; {gotten...: Heb. found much}

If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking {in} brightness; {sun: Heb. light} {in...: Heb. bright}

And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: {my mouth...: Heb. my hand hath kissed my mouth}

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

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

Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul. {mouth: Heb. palate}

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

The stranger did not lodge in the street: {but} I opened my doors to the traveller. {traveller: or, way}

If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom: {as Adam: or, after the manner of men}

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

Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire {is, that} the Almighty would answer me, and {that} mine adversary had written a book. {my...: or, my sign is that the Almighty will}

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

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

If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain; {complain: Heb. weep}

If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life: {fruits: Heb. strength} {the owners...: Heb. the soul of the owners thereof to expire, or, breathe out}

Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended. {cockle: or, noisome weeds}