Job 31

1“I made a covenant with my eyes, how then should I look lustfully at a young woman? 2and the heritage from the Almighty on high? For what is the portion from God above, 3and disaster to the workers of iniquity? Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, 4and number all my steps? Doesn’t he see my ways, 5and my foot has hurried to deceit “If I have walked with falsehood, 6that God may know my integrity); (let me be weighed in an even balance, 7if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to my hands, if my step has turned out of the way, 8Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out. then let me sow, and let another eat. 9and I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door, “If my heart has been enticed to a woman, 10and let others sleep with her. then let my wife grind for another, 11Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges: For that would be a heinous crime. 12and would root out all my increase. For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, 13or of my female servant, when they contended with me; “If I have despised the cause of my male servant 14When he visits, what shall I answer him? What then shall I do when God rises up? 15Didn’t one fashion us in the womb? Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him? 16or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, “If I have withheld the poor from their desire, 17and the fatherless has not eaten of it or have eaten my morsel alone, 18her have I guided from my mother’s womb); (no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, 19or that the needy had no covering; if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, 20if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece; if his heart hasn’t blessed me, 21because I saw my help in the gate, if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, 22and my arm be broken from the bone. then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, 23Because his majesty, I can do nothing. For calamity from God is a terror to me. 24and have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence;’ “If I have made gold my hope, 25and because my hand had gotten much; If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, 26or the moon moving in splendor, if I have seen the sun when it shined, 27and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth, and my heart has been secretly enticed, 28for I should have denied the God who is above. this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges; 29or lifted up myself when evil found him; “If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, 30by asking his life with a curse); (yes, I have not allowed my mouth to sin 31‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’ if the men of my tent have not said, 32but I have opened my doors to the traveler); (the foreigner has not camped in the street, 33by hiding my iniquity in my heart, if like Adam I have covered my transgressions, 34and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and didn’t go out of the door— because I feared the great multitude, 35(behold, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me); let the accuser write my indictment! oh that I had one to hear me! 36and I would bind it to me as a crown. Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; 37as a prince would I go near to him. I would declare to him the number of my steps. 38and its furrows weep together; If my land cries out against me, 39or have caused its owners to lose their life, if I have eaten its fruits without money, 40and stinkweed instead of barley.” let briers grow instead of wheat, The words of Job are ended.