Job Chapter 31 / BBE

The Bible in Basic English
Job, Chapter 31

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

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