Job 31

¹ If I have made an agreement with my eyes and entertained any thoughts against a maiden;

² But what is man's lot from God above, his inheritance from the Almighty on high?

³ Is it not calamity for the unrighteous, and woe for evildoers?

⁴ Does he not see my ways, and number all my steps?

⁵ If I have walked in falsehood and my foot has hastened to deceit;

⁶ Let God weigh me in the scales of justice; thus will he know my innocence!

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 may I sow, but another eat of it, or may my planting be rooted up!

⁹ If my heart has been enticed toward a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door;

¹⁰ Then may my wife grind for another, and may others cohabit with her!

¹¹ For that would be heinous, a crime to be condemned;

¹² A fire that should burn down to the abyss till it consumed all my possessions to the roots.

¹³ Had I refused justice to my manservant or to my maid, when they had a claim against me,

¹⁴ What then should I do when God rose up; what could I answer when he demanded an account?

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 denied anything to the poor, or allowed the eyes of the widow to languish

¹⁷ While I ate my portion alone, with no share in it for the fatherless,

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 a wanderer without clothing, or a poor man without covering,

²⁰ Whose limbs have not blessed me when warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

²¹ If I have raised my hand against the innocent because I saw that I had supporters at the gate--

²² Then may my arm fall from the shoulder, my forearm be broken at the elbow!

²³ For the dread of God will be upon me, and his majesty will overpower me.

²⁴ Had I put my trust in gold or called fine gold my security;

²⁵ Or had I rejoiced that my wealth was great, or that my hand had acquired abundance--

²⁶ Had I looked upon the sun as it shone, or the moon in the splendor of its progress,

²⁷ And had my heart been secretly enticed to waft them a kiss with my hand;

²⁸ This too would be a crime for condemnation, for I should have denied God above.

²⁹ Had I rejoiced at the destruction of my enemy or exulted when evil fell upon him,

³⁰ Even though I had not suffered my mouth to sin by uttering a curse against his life--

³¹ Had not the men of my tent exclaimed, "Who has not been fed with his meat!"

³² Because no stranger lodged in the street, but I opened my door to wayfarers--

³³ Had I, out of human weakness, hidden my sins and buried my guilt in my bosom

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 I had one to hear my case, and that my accuser would write out his indictment!

³⁶ Surely, I should wear it on my shoulder or put it on me like a diadem;

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 has cried out against me till its very furrows complained;

³⁹ If I have eaten its produce without payment and grieved the hearts of its tenants;

⁴⁰ Then let the thistles grow instead of wheat and noxious weeds instead of barley!