Job 31

¹ I made a covenant with my eyes not to gaze upon a virgin. ² What portion comes from God above, what heritage 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, and may my produce 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 kneel over her! ¹¹ For that would be heinous, a crime to be condemned, ¹² A fire that would consume down to Abaddon till it uprooted all my crops. ¹³ Had I refused justice to my manservant or to my maidservant, when they had a complaint against me, ¹⁴ What then should I do when God rises up? What could I answer when he demands an account? ¹⁵ Did not he who made me in the belly make him? Did not the same One fashion us in the womb? ¹⁶ If I have denied anything that the poor desired, 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 he 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 I dread calamity from God, 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 light as it shone, or the moon in the splendor of its progress, ²⁷ And had my heart been secretly enticed to blow 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 came upon him, ³⁰ Even though I had not allowed my mouth to sin by invoking a curse against his life— ³¹ Had not the men of my tent exclaimed, “Who has not been filled with his meat!” ³² No stranger lodged in the street, for I opened my door to wayfarers— ³³ Had I, all too human, hidden my sins and buried my guilt in my bosom ³⁴ Because I feared the great multitude and the scorn of the clans terrified me— then I should have remained silent, and not come out of doors! ³⁵ Oh, that I had one to hear my case: here is my signature: let the Almighty answer me! Let my accuser 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. ³⁸ If my land has cried out against me till its furrows wept together; ³⁹ If I have eaten its strength without payment and grieved the hearts of its tenants; ⁴⁰ Then let the thorns grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley! The words of Job are ended.