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