Bible in Basic English
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.
— Job 31:15-1964, Bible in Basic English
“Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb? If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof; (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother’s womb;) If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering; If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate: Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone. For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure. If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence; If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much; If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness; And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above. If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him: Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul. If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied. The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller. If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom: Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door? Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book. Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me. I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him. If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain; If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life: Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended. ”
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.