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Job 31 (AMP)

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¹ I DICTATED a covenant (an agreement) to my eyes; how then could I look upon a girl? ² For what portion should I have from God above , and what heritage from the Almighty on high? ³ Does not calamity befall the unrighteous, and disaster the workers of iniquity? ⁴ Does not see my ways and count all my steps? ⁵ If I have walked with falsehood or vanity, or if my foot has hastened to deceit-- ⁶ Oh, let me be weighed in a just balance and let Him weigh me, that God may know my integrity! ⁷ If my step has turned out of way, and my heart has gone the way my eyes invited, and if any spot has stained my hands with guilt, ⁸ Then let me sow and let another eat; yes, let the produce of my field or my offspring be rooted out. ⁹ If my heart has been deceived and I made a fool by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbor's door , ¹⁰ Then let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down upon her. ¹¹ For is a heinous and chief crime, an iniquity the judges and punishment. ¹² For is a fire which consumes to Abaddon (to destruction, ruin, and the place of final torment); and would burn to the root all my increase. ¹³ If I have despised and rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant when they contended or brought a complaint against me, ¹⁴ What then shall I do when God rises up ? When He visits , what shall I answer Him? ¹⁵ Did not He Who made me in the womb make ? And did not One fashion us both in the womb? ¹⁶ If I have withheld from the poor and needy what they desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to look in vain , ¹⁷ Or have eaten my morsel alone and have not shared it with the fatherless-- ¹⁸ No, but from my youth grew up with me as a father, and I have been guide from my mother's womb-- ¹⁹ If I have seen anyone perish for want of clothing, or any poor person without covering, ²⁰ If his loins have not blessed me , and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep, ²¹ If I have lifted my hand against the fatherless when I saw my help at the gate, ²² Then let my shoulder fall away from my shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from its socket. ²³ For calamity from God was a terror to me, and because of His majesty I could not endure and could do nothing. ²⁴ If I have made gold my trust and hope or have said to fine gold, You are my confidence, ²⁵ If I rejoiced because my wealth was great and because my hand had gotten much, ²⁶ If I beheld the sunlight when it shone or the moon walking in its brightness, ²⁷ And my heart has been secretly enticed by them or my mouth has kissed my hand , ²⁸ This also would have been iniquity to demand the judges' action and punishment, for I would have denied and been false to the God Who is above. ²⁹ If I rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me or lifted myself up when evil overtook him-- ³⁰ No, I have let my mouth sin neither by cursing my enemy nor by praying that he might die-- ³¹ if the men of my tent will not say, Who can find one in need who has not been satisfied with food he gave them?-- ³² The temporary resident has not lodged in the street, but I have opened my door to the wayfaring man-- ³³ If like Adam or like men I have concealed my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom ³⁴ Because I feared the great multitude and the contempt of families terrified me so that I kept silence and did not go out of the door-- ³⁵ Oh, for a hearing! Oh, for an answer from the Almighty! Let my adversary write out His indictment in a book! ³⁶ Surely I would bear it on my shoulder and wind the scroll about my head as a diadem. ³⁷ I would count out to Him the number of my steps , approaching His presence as a prince-- ³⁸ For if my land has cried out against me and its furrows have complained together with tears , ³⁹ If I have eaten its fruits without paying for them or have caused its owners to breathe their last, ⁴⁰ Let thistles grow instead of wheat and cockleburs instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.