Job, 31

1. I had made an agreement with my eyes not to linger on any virgin.

1. "I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I look upon a virgin?

2. Now what portion does God allot from above, what fate does Shaddai apportion from his heaven-

2. What would be my portion from God above, and my heritage from the Almighty on high?

3. if not the disasters appropriate to the wicked and the calamities fit for evil-doers?

3. Does not calamity befall the unrighteous, and disaster the workers of iniquity?

4. But surely he sees how I behave, does he not count all my steps?

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

5. Have I been a fellow-traveller with falsehood, or hastened my steps towards deceit?

5. "If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hastened to deceit;

6. Let him weigh me on accurate scales: then he, God, will recognise my integrity!

6. (Let me be weighed in a just balance, and let God know my integrity!)

7. If my feet have wandered from the rightful path, or if my eyes have led my heart astray, or if my hands are smirched with any stain,

7. if my step has turned aside from the way, and my heart has gone after my eyes, and if any spot has cleaved to my hands;

8. let someone else eat what I have sown and let my young shoots all be rooted out.

8. then let me sow, and another eat; and let what grows for me be rooted out.

9. If my heart has been seduced by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbour's door,

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

10. let my wife go and grind for someone else, let others have intercourse with her!

10. then let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down upon her.

11. For I would have committed a sin of lust, a crime punishable by the law,

11. For that would be a heinous crime; that would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges;

12. a fire, indeed, burning all to Perdition, which would have devoured my whole revenue.

12. for that would be a fire which consumes unto Abaddon, and it would burn to the root all my increase.

13. If I have ever infringed the rights of slave or slave-girl in legal actions against me-

13. "If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant, when they brought a complaint against me;

14. what shall I do, when God stands up? What shall I say, when he holds his assize?

14. what then shall I do when God rises up? When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?

15. Did he not create them in the womb like me, the same God forming us in the womb?

15. Did not he who made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?

16. Have I been insensible to the needs of the poor, or let a widow's eyes grow dim?

16. "If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17. Have I eaten my bit of bread on my own without sharing it with the orphan?

17. or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it

18. I, whom God has fostered father-like from childhood, and guided since I left my mother's womb,

18. (for from his youth I reared him as a father, and from his mother's womb I guided him);

19. have I ever seen a wretch in need of clothing, or the poor with nothing to wear,

19. if I have seen any one perish for lack of clothing, or a poor man without covering;

20. without his having cause to bless me from his heart, as he felt the warmth of the fleece from my lambs?

20. if his loins have not blessed me, and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21. Have I raised my hand against an orphan, presuming on my credit at the gate?

21. if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, because I saw help in the gate;

22. If so, let my shoulder fall from its socket, let my arm break off at the elbow!

22. then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder, and let my arm be broken from its socket.

23. For the terror of God would fall on me and I could not then stand my ground before his majesty.

23. For I was in terror of calamity from God, and I could not have faced his majesty.

24. Have I put my faith in gold, saying to fine gold, 'Ah, my security'?

24. "If I have made gold my trust, or called fine gold my confidence;

25. Have I ever gloated over my great wealth, or the riches that my hands have won?

25. if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, or because my hand had gotten much;

26. Or has the sight of the sun in its glory, or the glow of the moon as it walked the sky,

26. if I have looked at the sun when it shone, or the moon moving in splendor,

27. secretly stolen my heart, so that I blew them a kiss?

27. and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand;

28. That too would be a criminal offence, to have denied the supreme God.

28. this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I should have been false to God above.

29. Have I rejoiced at my enemy's misfortune, or exulted when disaster overtook him? -

29. "If I have rejoiced at the ruin of him that hated me, or exulted when evil overtook him

30. I, who would not allow my tongue to sin or to lay his life under a curse.

30. (I have not let my mouth sin by asking for his life with a curse);

31. The people of my tent, did they not say, 'Will anyone name a person whom he has not filled with meat?'

31. if the men of my tent have not said, `Who is there that has not been filled with his meat?'

32. No stranger ever had to sleep outside, my door was always open to the traveller.

32. (the sojourner has not lodged in the street; I have opened my doors to the wayfarer);

33. Have I ever concealed my transgression from others or kept my fault a secret in my breast?

33. if I have concealed my transgressions from men, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

34. Have I ever stood in fear of common gossip, or dreaded any family's contempt, and so kept quiet, not venturing out of doors?

34. because 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 --

35. Will no one give me a hearing? I have said my last word; now let Shaddai reply! When my adversary has drafted his writ against me

35. Oh, 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!

36. I shall wear it on my shoulder, and bind it round my head like a royal turban.

36. Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; I would bind it on me as a crown;

37. I shall give him an account of my every step and go as boldly as a prince to meet him.End of the words of Job.

37. I would give him an account of all my steps; like a prince I would approach him.

38. If my land cries for vengeance against me and its furrows weep in concert,

38. "If my land has cried out against me, and its furrows have wept together;

39. if I have eaten its produce without paying, and caused the death of its owners,

39. if I have eaten its yield without payment, and caused the death of its owners;

40. let brambles grow instead of wheat, rank weeds instead of barley!

40. let thorns grow instead of wheat, and foul weeds instead of barley." The words of Job are ended.