Job 31

1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.s7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.

9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door;10 Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.11 For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?s

16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;)s19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:22 Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.s23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;s26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;ss27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:s28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.s31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.s

33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:s34 Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?35 Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.s36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.38 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;s39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:ss40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.s

Job 31

What Can I Expect from God?

1-4 "I made a solemn pact with myself never to undress a girl with my eyes. So what can I expect from God? What do I deserve from God Almighty above? Isn't calamity reserved for the wicked? Isn't disaster supposed to strike those who do wrong? Isn't God looking, observing how I live? Doesn't he mark every step I take?
5-8 "Have I walked hand in hand with falsehood, or hung out in the company of deceit? Weigh me on a set of honest scales so God has proof of my integrity. If I've strayed off the straight and narrow, wanted things I had no right to, messed around with sin, Go ahead, then— give my portion to someone who deserves it.
9-12 "If I've let myself be seduced by a woman and conspired to go to bed with her, Fine, my wife has every right to go ahead and sleep with anyone she wants to. For disgusting behavior like that, I'd deserve the worst punishment you could hand out. Adultery is a fire that burns the house down; I wouldn't expect anything I count dear to survive it.
13-15 "Have I ever been unfair to my employees when they brought a complaint to me? What, then, will I do when God confronts me? When God examines my books, what can I say? Didn't the same God who made me, make them? Aren't we all made of the same stuff, equals before God?
16-18 "Have I ignored the needs of the poor, turned my back on the indigent, Taken care of my own needs and fed my own face while they languished? Wasn't my home always open to them? Weren't they always welcome at my table?
19-20 "Have I ever left a poor family shivering in the cold when they had no warm clothes? Didn't the poor bless me when they saw me coming, knowing I'd brought coats from my closet?
21-23 "If I've ever used my strength and influence to take advantage of the unfortunate, Go ahead, break both my arms, cut off all my fingers! The fear of God has kept me from these things— how else could I ever face him?

If Only Someone Would Give Me a Hearing!

24-28 "Did I set my heart on making big money or worship at the bank? Did I boast about my wealth, show off because I was well-off? Was I ever so awed by the sun's brilliance and moved by the moon's beauty That I let myself become seduced by them and worshiped them on the sly? If so, I would deserve the worst of punishments, for I would be betraying God himself.
29-30 "Did I ever crow over my enemy's ruin? Or gloat over my rival's bad luck? No, I never said a word of detraction, never cursed them, even under my breath.
31-34 "Didn't those who worked for me say, 'He fed us well. There were always second helpings'? And no stranger ever had to spend a night in the street; my doors were always open to travelers. Did I hide my sin the way Adam did, or conceal my guilt behind closed doors Because I was afraid what people would say, fearing the gossip of the neighbors so much That I turned myself into a recluse? You know good and well that I didn't.
35-37 "Oh, if only someone would give me a hearing! I've signed my name to my defense—let the Almighty One answer! I want to see my indictment in writing. Anyone's welcome to read my defense; I'll write it on a poster and carry it around town. I'm prepared to account for every move I've ever made— to anyone and everyone, prince or pauper.

38-40 "If the very ground that I farm accuses me, if even the furrows fill with tears from my abuse, If I've ever raped the earth for my own profit or dispossessed its rightful owners, Then curse it with thistles instead of wheat, curse it with weeds instead of barley."
The words of Job to his three friends were finished.