Job 31

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?	1 If I have made an agreement with my eyes and entertained any thoughts against a maiden;
2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?	2 But what is man's lot from God above, his inheritance from the Almighty on high?
3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?	3 Is it not calamity for the unrighteous, and woe for evildoers?
4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?	4 Does he not see my ways, and number all my steps?
5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;	5 If I have walked in falsehood and my foot has hastened to deceit;
6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.	6 Let God weigh me in the scales of justice; thus will he know my innocence!
7 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;	7 If my steps have turned out of the way, and my heart has followed my eyes, or any stain clings to my hands,
8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.	8 Then may I sow, but another eat of it, or may my planting be rooted up!
9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door;	9 If my heart has been enticed toward a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door;
10 Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.	10 Then may my wife grind for another, and may others cohabit with her!
11 For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.	11 For that would be heinous, a crime to be condemned;
12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.	12 A fire that should burn down to the abyss till it consumed all my possessions to the roots.
13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;	13 Had I refused justice to my manservant or to my maid, when they had a claim against me,
14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?	14 What then should I do when God rose up; what could I answer when he demanded an account?
15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?	15 Did not he who made me in the womb make him? Did not the same One fashion us before our birth?
16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;	16 If I have denied anything to the poor, or allowed the eyes of the widow to languish
17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;	17 While I ate my portion alone, with no share in it for the fatherless,
18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;)	18 Though like a father God has reared me from my youth, guiding me even from my mother's womb--
19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;	19 If I have seen a wanderer without clothing, or a poor man without covering,
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;	20 Whose limbs have not blessed me when warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:	21 If I have raised my hand against the innocent because I saw that I had supporters at the gate--
22 Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.	22 Then may my arm fall from the shoulder, my forearm be broken at the elbow!
23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.	23 For the dread of God will be upon me, and his majesty will overpower me.
24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;	24 Had I put my trust in gold or called fine gold my security;
25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;	25 Or had I rejoiced that my wealth was great, or that my hand had acquired abundance--
26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;	26 Had I looked upon the sun as it shone, or the moon in the splendor of its progress,
27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:	27 And had my heart been secretly enticed to waft them a kiss with my hand;
28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.	28 This too would be a crime for condemnation, for I should have denied God above.
29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:	29 Had I rejoiced at the destruction of my enemy or exulted when evil fell upon him,
30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.	30 Even though I had not suffered my mouth to sin by uttering a curse against his life--
31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.	31 Had not the men of my tent exclaimed, "Who has not been fed with his meat!"
32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.	32 Because no stranger lodged in the street, but I opened my door to wayfarers--
33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:	33 Had I, out of human weakness, hidden my sins and buried my guilt in my bosom
34 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?	34 Because I feared the noisy multitude and the scorn of the tribes terrified me- then I should have remained silent, and not come out of doors!
35 Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.	35 Oh, that I had one to hear my case, and that my accuser would write out his indictment!
36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.	36 Surely, I should wear it on my shoulder or put it on me like a diadem;
37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.	37 Of all my steps I should give him an account; like a prince I should present myself before him. This is my final plea; let the Almighty answer me! The words of Job are ended.
38 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;	38 If my land has cried out against me till its very furrows complained;
39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:	39 If I have eaten its produce without payment and grieved the hearts of its tenants;
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.	40 Then let the thistles grow instead of wheat and noxious weeds instead of barley!