^31:1 I made a covenant with my eyes. How then should I look upon a virgin? ^31:2 For what is the portion from God above and the heritage from the Almighty on high? ^31:3 Is it not calamity to the unrighteous and disaster to the workers of wickedness?^31:4 Does he not see my ways and number all my steps?

    ^31:5 If I have walked with falsehood and my foot has hastened to deceit ^31:6 (let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity); ^31:7if my step has turned out of the way and my heart walked after my eyes and if any spot has clung to my hands, ^31:8 then let me sow and let another eat, yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

    ^31:9 If my heart has been enticed to a woman and I have laid wait at my neighbor's door, ^31:10 then let my wife grind to another and let others bow down upon her. ^31:11 For that is a heinous crime, yes, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. ^31:12 For it is a fire that consumes to destruction and would root out all my increase.

    ^31:13 If I have despised the case of my man-servant or of my maid-servant when they contended with me, ^31:14 what then shall I do when God rises up? And when he visits, what shall I answer him?^31:15Did not he who made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?

    ^31:16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,^31:17 or have eaten my morsel alone and the fatherless has not eaten of it ^31:18 (no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father and her I have guided from my mother's womb); ^31:19 if I have seen any perish for lack of clothing, or that the needy had no covering; ^31:20 if his loins have not blessed me and if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;^31:21 if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate, ^31:22 then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade and my arm be broken from the bone. ^31:23 For calamity from God is a terror to me and I can do nothing because of his majesty.

    ^31:24 If I have made gold my hope and have said to the fine gold, You are my confidence; ^31:25 if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great and because my hand had gotten much; ^31:26 if I have beheld the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in brightness, ^31:27 and my heart has been secretly enticed and my mouth has kissed my hand ^31:28 (this also is an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have denied the God that is above); ^31:29 if I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him ^31:30 (yes, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse); ^31:31 if the men of my tent have not said, Who can find one who has not been filled with his food? ^31:32 (the traveler has not lodged in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler);^31:33 if like Adam I have covered my transgressions by hiding my iniquity in my bosom ^31:34 because I feared the great multitude and the contempt of families terrified me so that I kept my silence and did not go out of the door.

    ^31:35 O that I had someone to hear me (Behold, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me) and that I had the indictment which my adversary has written! ^31:36 Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder. I would bind it to me as a crown. ^31:37 I would declare to him the number of my steps. I would go near to him as a ruler.

    ^31:38 If my land cries out against me and the furrows of it weep together; ^31:39 if I have eaten the fruits of it without money, or have caused the owners of it to lose their lives, ^31:40 let thistles grow instead of wheat and cockle instead of barley.

    The words of Job are ended.