Chapter 31

  I made an agreement with my eyes; how then might my eyes be looking on a virgin?  

  For what is God's reward from on high, or the heritage given by the Ruler of all from heaven?  

  Is it not trouble for the sinner, and destruction for the evil-doers?  

  Does he not see my ways, and are not my steps all numbered?  

  If I have gone in false ways, or my foot has been quick in working deceit;  

  (Let me be measured in upright scales, and let God see my righteousness:)  

  If 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;  

  Let me put seed in the earth for another to have the fruit of it, and let my produce be uprooted.  

  If my heart went after another man's wife, or if I was waiting secretly at my neighbour's door;  

  Then let my wife give pleasure to another man and let others make use of her body.  

  For that would be a crime; it would be an act for which punishment would be measured out by the judges:  

  It would be a fire burning even to destruction, and taking away all my produce.  

  If I did wrong in the cause of my man-servant, or my woman-servant, when they went to law with me;  

  What then will I do when God comes as my judge? and what answer may I give to his questions?  

  Did not God make him as well as me? did he not give us life in our mothers' bodies?  

  If I kept back the desire of the poor; if the widow's eye was looking for help to no purpose;  

  If I kept my food for myself, and did not give some of it to the child with no father;  

  (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;)  

  If I saw one near to death for need of clothing, and that the poor had nothing covering him;  

  If his back did not give me a blessing, and the wool of my sheep did not make him warm;  

  If my hand had been lifted up against him who had done no wrong, when I saw that I was supported by the judges;  

  May my arm be pulled from my body, and be broken from its base.  

  For the fear of God kept me back, and because of his power I might not do such things.  

  If I made gold my hope, or if I ever said to the best gold, I have put my faith in you;  

  If I was glad because my wealth was great, and because my hand had got together a great store;  

  If, when I saw the sun shining, and the moon moving on its bright way,  

  A secret feeling of worship came into my heart, and my hand gave kisses from my mouth;  

  That would have been another sin to be rewarded with punishment by the judges; for I would have been false to God on high.  

  If I was glad at the trouble of my hater, and gave cries of joy when evil overtook him;  

  (For I did not let my mouth give way to sin, in putting a curse on his life;)  

  If the men of my tent did not say, Who has not had full measure of his meat?  

  The traveller did not take his night's rest in the street, and my doors were open to anyone on a journey;  

  If I kept my evil doings covered, and my sin in the secret of my breast,  

  For 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;  

  If 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!  

  Truly I would take up the book in my hands; it would be to me as a crown;  

  I would make clear the number of my steps, I would put it before him like a prince! The words of Job are ended.  

  If my land has made an outcry against me, or the ploughed earth has been in sorrow;  

  If I have taken its produce without payment, causing the death of its owners;  

  Then in place of grain let thorns come up, and in place of barley evil-smelling plants.