| Chapter 31 |
1 | I made an agreement with my eyes; how then might my eyes be looking on a virgin?
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2 | For what is God's reward from on high, or the heritage given by the Ruler of all from heaven?
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3 | Is it not trouble for the sinner, and destruction for the evil-doers?
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4 | Does he not see my ways, and are not my steps all numbered?
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5 | If I have gone in false ways, or my foot has been quick in working deceit;
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6 | (Let me be measured in upright scales, and let God see my righteousness:)
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7 | If my steps have been turned out of the way, or if my heart went after my eyes, or if the property of another is in my hands;
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8 | Let me put seed in the earth for another to have the fruit of it, and let my produce be uprooted.
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9 | If my heart went after another man's wife, or if I was waiting secretly at my neighbour's door;
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10 | Then let my wife give pleasure to another man and let others make use of her body.
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11 | For that would be a crime; it would be an act for which punishment would be measured out by the judges:
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12 | It would be a fire burning even to destruction, and taking away all my produce.
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13 | If I did wrong in the cause of my man-servant, or my woman-servant, when they went to law with me;
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14 | What then will I do when God comes as my judge? and what answer may I give to his questions?
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15 | Did not God make him as well as me? did he not give us life in our mothers' bodies?
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16 | If I kept back the desire of the poor; if the widow's eye was looking for help to no purpose;
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17 | If I kept my food for myself, and did not give some of it to the child with no father;
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18 | (For I was cared for by God as by a father from my earliest days; he was my guide from the body of my mother;)
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19 | If I saw one near to death for need of clothing, and that the poor had nothing covering him;
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20 | If his back did not give me a blessing, and the wool of my sheep did not make him warm;
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21 | If my hand had been lifted up against him who had done no wrong, when I saw that I was supported by the judges;
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22 | May my arm be pulled from my body, and be broken from its base.
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23 | For the fear of God kept me back, and because of his power I might not do such things.
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24 | If I made gold my hope, or if I ever said to the best gold, I have put my faith in you;
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25 | If I was glad because my wealth was great, and because my hand had got together a great store;
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26 | If, when I saw the sun shining, and the moon moving on its bright way,
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27 | A secret feeling of worship came into my heart, and my hand gave kisses from my mouth;
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28 | That would have been another sin to be rewarded with punishment by the judges; for I would have been false to God on high.
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29 | If I was glad at the trouble of my hater, and gave cries of joy when evil overtook him;
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30 | (For I did not let my mouth give way to sin, in putting a curse on his life;)
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31 | If the men of my tent did not say, Who has not had full measure of his meat?
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32 | The traveller did not take his night's rest in the street, and my doors were open to anyone on a journey;
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33 | If I kept my evil doings covered, and my sin in the secret of my breast,
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34 | For fear of the great body of people, or for fear that families might make sport of me, so that I kept quiet, and did not go out of my door;
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35 | If only God would give ear to me, and the Ruler of all would give me an answer! or if what he has against me had been put in writing!
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36 | Truly I would take up the book in my hands; it would be to me as a crown;
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37 | I would make clear the number of my steps, I would put it before him like a prince! The words of Job are ended.
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38 | If my land has made an outcry against me, or the ploughed earth has been in sorrow;
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39 | If I have taken its produce without payment, causing the death of its owners;
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40 | Then in place of grain let thorns come up, and in place of barley evil-smelling plants.
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