Job 31

1I made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I look with desire at a young woman?

2For what portion would I have from God above, what inheritance from the Almighty on high?

3Is it not disaster for the unjust and misfortune for those who do evil?

4Does he not see my ways and count all my steps?

5If I have walked with falsehood, or my foot has hurried after deceit—

6let him weigh me on honest scales, and let God know my integrity—

7if my steps have turned from the way, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if any stain has stuck to my hands,

8then let me sow and another eat, and let what grows for me be uprooted.

9If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,

10then let my wife grind grain for another man, and let other men kneel over her.

11For that would be a shameful crime, an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

12For it is a fire that consumes all the way to Abaddon; it would uproot all my harvest.

13If I have rejected the claim of my male or female servant when they brought a complaint against me,

14what would I do when God rises up? When he calls me to account, what would I answer him?

15Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us in the womb?

16If I have denied the poor what they wanted or made the widow’s eyes grow weary,

17if I have eaten my bit of bread alone and the fatherless has not eaten from it—

18for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—

19if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or a needy person without covering,

20if his body has not blessed me because he was warmed by the fleece of my sheep,

21if I have raised my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support at the gate,

22then let my shoulder fall from its socket, and let my arm be broken off at the joint.

23For disaster from God was a terror to me, and because of his majesty I could not do such things.

24If I have put my trust in gold, or said to fine gold, ‘You are my security,’

25if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, because my hand had gained so much,

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

27and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand has thrown them a kiss from my mouth,

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

29If I have rejoiced at the ruin of the one who hated me, or gloated when evil overtook him—

30I have not let my mouth sin by asking for his life with a curse—

31if the men of my household have not said, ‘Who can find anyone who has not had his fill of his meat?’—

32no stranger had to spend the night in the street; I opened my doors to the traveler—

33if I have covered my transgressions as others do, by hiding my iniquity in my heart,

34because I feared the great crowd, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go out the door—

35Oh, that I had someone to hear me! Look, here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me! Let my accuser write out his indictment!

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

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

38If my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together,

39if I have eaten its produce without paying, or caused its owners to lose their lives,

40then let thorns grow instead of wheat, and stinking weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.