Job 31:4-1953 kjv — Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; Let…

“Doth not he see my ways, And number all my steps? If I have walked with falsehood, And my foot hath hasted to deceit (Let me be weighed in an even balance, That God may know mine integrity); If my step hath turned out of the way, And my heart walked after mine eyes, And if any spot hath cleaved to my hands: Then let me sow, and let another eat; Yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out. If my heart hath been enticed unto a woman, And I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door; Then let my wife grind unto another, And let others bow down upon her. For that were a heinous crime; Yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges: For it is a fire that consumeth unto Destruction, And would root out all mine increase. If I have despised the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant, When they contended with me; What then shall I do when God riseth up? And when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? 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 fromtheirdesire, Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, Or have eaten my morsel alone, And the fatherless hath not eaten thereof (Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, And her have I guided from my mother’s womb); If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, Or that the needy had no covering; If his loins have not blessed me, And if he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep; If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, Because I saw my help in the gate: Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, And mine arm be broken from the bone. For calamity from God is a terror to me, And by reason of his majesty I can do nothing. If I have made gold my hope, And have said to the fine gold, Thou artmy confidence; If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gotten much; If I have beheld the sun when it shined, Or the moon walking in brightness, And my heart hath been secretly enticed, And my mouth hath kissed my hand: This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; For I should have denied the God that is above. If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, Or lifted up myself when evil found him (Yea, I have not suffered my mouth to sin By asking his life with a curse); If the men of my tent have not said, Who can find one that hath not been filled with his meat? (The sojourner hath not lodged in the street; But I have opened my doors to the traveller); If like Adam I have covered my transgressions, By hiding mine iniquity in my bosom, Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence, and went not out of the door— Oh that I had one to hear me! (Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me) Andthat I hadthe indictment which mine adversary hath written! Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown: I would declare unto him the number of my steps; As a prince would I go near unto him. If my land crieth out against me, And the furrows thereof weep together; 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. ”

“Doesn't he see my ways, and number all my steps? "If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit (let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity); if my step has turned out of the way, if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to my hands, then let me sow, and let another eat. Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out. "If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbor's door, then let my wife grind for another, and let others sleep with her. For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges: For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase. "If I have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, when they contended with me; What then shall I do when God rises up? When he visits, what shall I answer him? Didn't he who made me in the womb make him? Didn't 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 alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it (no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, her have I guided from my mother's womb); if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering; if his heart hasn't blessed me, if he hasn't been warmed with my sheep's fleece; if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate, then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone. For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because his majesty, I can do nothing. "If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, 'You are my confidence;' If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much; if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor, and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth, this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for I should have denied the God who is above. "If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him; (yes, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse); if the men of my tent have not said, 'Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?' (the foreigner has not lodged in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler); if like Adam I have covered my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my heart, because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and didn't go out of the door-- oh that I had one to hear me! (behold, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me); let the accuser write my indictment! Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; and I would bind it to me as a crown. I would declare to him the number of my steps. as a prince would I go near to him. If my land cries out against me, and its furrows weep together; if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life, let briars grow instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley." The words of Job are ended.”

“Does he not see my ways and count all my steps? If I have walked in falsehood, and if my foot has hastened to deceit– let him weigh me with honest scales; then God will discover my integrity. If my footsteps have strayed from the way, if my heart has gone after my eyes, or if anything has defiled my hands, then let me sow and let another eat, and let my crops be uprooted. If my heart has been enticed by a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door, then let my wife turn the millstone for another man, and may other men commit adultery with her. For I would have committed a shameful act, an iniquity to be judged. For it is a fire that devours even to Destruction, and it would uproot all my harvest. “If I have disregarded the right of my male servants or my female servants when they disputed with me, then what will I do when God confronts me in judgment; when he intervenes, how will I respond to him? Did not the one who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us in the womb? If I have refused to give the poor what they desired, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail, If I ate my morsel of bread myself, and did not share any of it with orphans– but from my youth I raised the orphan like a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow! If I have seen anyone about to perish for lack of clothing, or a poor man without a coat, whose heart did not bless me as he warmed himself with the fleece of my sheep, if I have raised my hand to vote against the orphan, when I saw my support in the court, then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let my arm be broken off at the socket. For the calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his majesty I was powerless. “If I have put my confidence in gold or said to pure gold,‘You are my security!’ if I have rejoiced because of the extent of my wealth, or because of the great wealth my hand had gained, if I looked at the sun when it was shining, and the moon advancing as a precious thing, so that my heart was secretly enticed, and my hand threw them a kiss from my mouth, then this also would be iniquity to be judged, for I would have been false to God above. If I have rejoiced over the misfortune of my enemy or exulted because calamity found him– I have not even permitted my mouth to sin by asking for his life through a curse– if the members of my household have never said,‘If only there were someone who has not been satisfied from Job’s meat!’– But no stranger had to spend the night outside, for I opened my doors to the traveler– if I have covered my transgressions as men do, by hiding iniquity in my heart, because I was terrified of the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I remained silent and would not go outdoors– Job’s Appeal“If only I had someone to hear me! Here is my signature– let the Almighty answer me! If only I had an indictment that my accuser had written. Surely I would wear it proudly on my shoulder, I would bind it on me like a crown; I would give him an accounting of my steps; like a prince I would approach him. Job’s Final Solemn Oath“If my land cried out against me and all its furrows wept together, if I have eaten its produce without paying, or caused the death of its owners, then let thorns sprout up in place of wheat, and in place of barley, weeds!” The words of Job are ended.”

“Doth not he consider my ways, and number all my steps? If I have walked in vanity, and my foot hath made haste to deceit: Let him weigh me in a just balance, and let God know my simplicity. If my step hath turned out of the way, and if my heart hath followed my eyes, and if a spot hath cleaved to my hands: Then let me sow and let another reap: and let my offspring be rooted out. If my heart hath been deceived upon a woman, and if I have laid wait at my friend's door: Let my wife be the harlot of another, and let other men lie with her. For this is a heinous crime, and a most grievous iniquity. It is a fire that devoureth even to destruction, and rooteth up all things that spring. If I have despised to abide judgment with my manservant, or my maidservant, when they had any controversy against me: For what shall I do when God shall rise to judge? and when he shall examine, what shall I answer him? Did not he that made me in the womb make him also: and did not one and the same form me in the womb? If I have denied to the poor what they desired, and have made the eyes of the widow wait: If I have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof: (For from my infancy mercy grew up with me: and it came out with me from my mother's womb:) If I have despised him that was perishing for want of clothing, and the poor man that had no covering: If his sides 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, even when I saw myself superior in the gate: Let my shoulder fall from its joint, and let my arm with its bones be broken. For I have always feared God as waves swelling over me, and his weight I was unable to bear. If I have thought gold my strength, and have said to fine gold: My confidence: If I have rejoiced over my great riches, and because my hand had gotten much. If I beheld the sun when it shined and the moon going in brightness: And my heart in secret hath rejoiced, and I have kissed my hand with my mouth: Which is a very great iniquity, and a denial against the most high God. If I have been glad at the downfall of him that hated me, and have rejoiced that evil had found him. For I have not been given my mouth to sin, by wishing a curse to his soul. If the men of my tabernacle have not said: Who will give us of his flesh that we may be filled? The stranger did not stay without, my door was open to the traveller. If as a man I have hid my sin, and have concealed my iniquity in my bosom. If I have been afraid at a very great multitude, and the contempt of kinsmen hath terrified me: and have not rather held my peace, and not gone out of the door. Who would grant me a hearing, that the Almighty may hear my desire: and that he himself that judgeth would write a book, That I may carry it on my shoulder, and put it about me as a crown? At every step of mine I would pronounce it, and offer it as to a prince. If my land cry against me, and with it the furrows thereof mourn: If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have afflicted the son of the tillers thereof: Let thistles grow up to me instead of wheat, and thorns instead of barley. ”

“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.”

“Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity. If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands; Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out. If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door; Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her. For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase. If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me; What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? 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. ”