Job Chapter 31 (NIV)

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undefined “I made a covenant with my eyesnot to look lustfully at a girl.

undefined For what is man’s lot from God above,his heritage from the Almighty on high?

undefined Is it not ruin for the wicked,disaster for those who do wrong?

undefined Does he not see my waysand count my every step?

undefined “If I have walked in falsehoodor my foot has hurried after deceit—

undefined let God weigh me in honest scalesand he will know that I am blameless—

undefined if my steps have turned from the path,if my heart has been led by my eyes,or if my hands have been defiled,

undefined then may others eat what I have sown,and may my crops be uprooted.

undefined “If my heart has been enticed by a woman,or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,

undefined then may my wife grind another man’s grain,and may other men sleep with her.

undefined For that would have been shameful,a sin to be judged.

undefined It is a fire that burns to Destruction;it would have uprooted my harvest.

undefined “If I have denied justice to my menservants and maidservantswhen they had a grievance against me,

undefined what will I do when God confronts me?What will I answer when called to account?

undefined Did not he who made me in the womb make them?Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?

undefined “If I have denied the desires of the pooror let the eyes of the widow grow weary,

undefined if I have kept my bread to myself,not sharing it with the fatherless—

undefined but from my youth I reared him as would a father,and from my birth I guided the widow—

undefined if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing,or a needy man without a garment,

undefined and his heart did not bless mefor warming him with the fleece from my sheep,

undefined if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,knowing that I had influence in court,

undefined then let my arm fall from the shoulder,let it be broken off at the joint.

undefined For I dreaded destruction from God,and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things.

undefined “If I have put my trust in goldor said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’

undefined if I have rejoiced over my great wealth,the fortune my hands had gained,

undefined if I have regarded the sun in its radianceor the moon moving in splendor,

undefined so that my heart was secretly enticedand my hand offered them a kiss of homage,

undefined then these also would be sins to be judged,for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.

undefined “If I have rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortuneor gloated over the trouble that came to him—

undefined I have not allowed my mouth to sinby invoking a curse against his life—

undefined if the men of my household have never said,‘Who has not had his fill of Job’s meat?’—

undefined but no stranger had to spend the night in the street,for my door was always open to the traveler—

undefined if I have concealed my sin as men do,by hiding my guilt in my heart

undefined because I so feared the crowdand so dreaded the contempt of the clansthat I kept silent and would not go outside—

undefined (“Oh, that I had someone to hear me!I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me;let my accuser put his indictment in writing.

undefined Surely I would wear it on my shoulder,I would put it on like a crown.

undefined I would give him an account of my every step;like a prince I would approach him.)—

undefined “if my land cries out against meand all its furrows are wet with tears,

undefined if I have devoured its yield without paymentor broken the spirit of its tenants,

undefined then let briers come up instead of wheatand weeds instead of barley.”The words of Job are ended.

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