The Book of Job

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

⮜ Back | Contents | Next ⮞

- Chapter 31 -

I made a couenant with mine eyes: why then should I thinke on a mayde?

For what portion should I haue of God from aboue? and what inheritance of the Almightie from on hie?

Is not destruction to the wicked and strange punishment to the workers of iniquitie?

Doeth not he beholde my wayes and tell all my steps?

If I haue walked in vanitie, or if my foote hath made haste to deceite,

Let God weigh me in the iust balance, and he shall know mine vprightnes.

If my steppe hath turned out of the way, or mine heart hath walked after mine eye, or if any blot hath cleaued to mine handes,

Let me sowe, and let another eate: yea, let my plantes be rooted out.

If mine heart hath bene deceiued by a woman, or if I haue layde wayte at the doore of my neighbour,

Let my wife grinde vnto another man, and let other men bow downe vpon her:

For this is a wickednes, and iniquitie to bee condemned:

Yea, this is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction, and which shall roote out al mine increase,

If I did contemne the iudgement of my seruant, and of my mayde, when they did contend with me,

What then shall I do when God standeth vp? and when he shall visit me, what shall I answere?

He that hath made me in the wombe, hath he not made him? hath not he alone facioned vs in the wombe?

If I restrained the poore of their desire, or haue caused the eyes of the widow to faile,

Or haue eaten my morsels alone, and the fatherles hath not eaten thereof,

(For from my youth hee hath growen vp with me as with a father, and from my mothers wombe I haue bene a guide vnto her)

If I haue seene any perish for want of clothing, or any poore without couering,

If his loynes haue not blessed me, because he was warmed with the fleece of my sheepe,

If I haue lift vp mine hande against the fatherlesse, when I saw that I might helpe him in the gate,

Let mine arme fal from my shoulder, and mine arme be broken from the bone.

For Gods punishment was fearefull vnto me, and I could not be deliuered from his highnes.

If I made gold mine hope, or haue sayd to the wedge of golde, Thou art my confidence,

If I reioyced because my substance was great, or because mine hand had gotten much,

If I did behold the sunne, when it shined, or the moone, walking in her brightnes,

If mine heart did flatter me in secrete, or if my mouth did kisse mine hand,

(This also had bene an iniquitie to be condemned: for I had denied the God aboue)

If I reioyced at his destruction that hated me, or was mooued to ioye when euill came vpon him,

Neither haue I suffred my mouth to sinne, by wishing a curse vnto his soule.

Did not the men of my Tabernacle say, Who shall giue vs of his flesh? we can not bee satisfied.

The stranger did not lodge in the streete, but I opened my doores vnto him, that went by the way.

If I haue hid my sinne, as Adam, concealing mine iniquitie in my bosome,

Though I could haue made afraid a great multitude, yet the most contemptible of the families did feare me: so I kept silence, and went not out of the doore.

Oh that I had some to heare me! beholde my signe that the Almightie will witnesse for me: though mine aduersary should write a booke against me,

Woulde not I take it vpon my shoulder, and binde it as a crowne vnto me?

I will tell him the nomber of my goings, and goe vnto him as to a prince.

If my lande cry against me, or the furrowes thereof complayne together,

If I haue eaten the fruites thereof without siluer: or if I haue grieued the soules of the masters thereof,

Let thistles growe in steade of wheate, and cockle in the stead of Barley. The wordes of Iob are ended.

“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.