The Book of Job

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- Kapitel 31 -

I made a covenant with my eyes, that I would not so much as think upon a virgin.

For what part should God from above have in me, and what inheritance the Almighty from on high?

Is not destruction to the wicked, and aversion to them that work iniquity?

Doth not he consider my ways, and number all my steps?

If I have walked in vanity, and my foot hath made haste to deceit:

Let him weigh me in a just balance, and let God know my simplicity.

If my step hath turned out of the way, and if my heart hath followed my eyes, and if a spot hath cleaved to my hands:

Then let me sow and let another eat: and let my offspring be rooted out.

If my heart hath been deceived upon a woman, and if I have laid wait at my friend’s door:

Let my wife be the harlot of another, and let other men lie with her.

For this is a heinous crime, and a most grievous iniquity.

It is a fire that devoureth even to destruction, and rooteth up all things that spring.

If I have despised to abide judgment with my manservant, or my maidservant, when they had any controversy against me:

For what shall I do when God shall rise to judge? and when he shall examine, what shall I answer him?

Did not he that made me in the womb make him also: and did not one and the same form me in the womb?

If I have denied to the poor what they desired, and have made the eyes of the widow wait:

If I have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof:

(For from my infancy mercy grew up with me: and it came out with me from my mother’s womb:)

If I have despised him that was perishing for want of clothing, and the poor man that had no covering:

If his sides have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep:

If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, even when I saw myself superior in the gate:

Let my shoulder fall from its joint, and let my arm with its bones be broken.

For I have always feared God as waves swelling over me, and his weight I was not able to bear.

If I have thought gold my strength, and have said to fine gold: My confidence:

If I have rejoiced over my great riches, and because my hand had gotten much.

If I beheld the sun when it shined, and the moon going in brightness:

And my heart in secret hath rejoiced, and I have kissed my hand with my mouth:

Which is a very great iniquity, and a denial against the most high God.

If I have been glad at the downfall of him that hated me, and have rejoiced that evil had found him.

For I have not given my mouth to sin, by wishing a curse to his soul.

If the men of my tabernacle have not said: Who will give us of his flesh that we may be filled?

The stranger did not stay without, my door was open to the traveller.

If as a man I have hid my sin, and have concealed my iniquity in my bosom.

If I have been afraid at a very great multitude, and the contempt of kinsmen hath terrified me: and I have not rather held my peace, and not gone out of the door.

Who would grant me a hearer, that the Almighty may hear my desire; and that he himself that judgeth would write a book,

That I may carry it on my shoulder, and put it about me as a crown?

At every step of mine I would pronounce it, and offer it as to a prince.

If my land cry against me, and with it the furrows thereof mourn:

If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have afflicted the soul of the tillers thereof:

Let thistles grow up to me instead of wheat, and thorns instead of barley.

“I made a covenant with my eyes; how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?

For what is the portion from God above, and the heritage from the Almighty on high?

Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?

Doesn’t he see my ways, and count all my steps?

“If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit

(let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity);

if my step has turned out of the way, if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to my hands,

then let me sow, and let another eat. Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

“If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door,

then let my wife grind for another, and let others sleep with her.

For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,

for it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase.

“If I have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, when they contended with me,

what then will I do when God rises up? When he visits, what will I answer him?

Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him? Didn’t one fashion us in the womb?

“If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

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

(no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, I have guided her from my mother’s womb);

if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;

if his heart hasn’t blessed me, if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece;

if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate;

then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.

For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because of his majesty, I can do nothing.

“If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence;’

If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;

if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor,

and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth;

this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have denied the God who is above.

“If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him

(I have certainly not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse);

if the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’

(the foreigner has not camped in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler);

if like Adam I have covered my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my heart,

because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and didn’t go out of the door—

oh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me! Let the accuser write my indictment!

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, and I would bind it to me as a crown.

I would declare to him the number of my steps. I would go near to him like a prince.

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

if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life,

let briers grow instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.