311 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
311 "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman.
311 "I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?
311 "I made a solemn pact with myself never to undress a girl with my eyes.
311 "I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?
311 "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman.
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
28 But don't think you've preserved your virtue simply by staying out of bed. Your heart can be corrupted by lust even quicker than your body. Those leering looks you think nobody notices - they also corrupt.
28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
(Read Matthew 5:27-32)
Victory over the desires of the heart, must be attended with painful exertions. But it must be done. Every thing is bestowed to save us from our sins, not in them. All our senses and powers must be kept from those things which lead to transgression. Those who lead others into temptation to sin, by dress or in other ways, or leave them in it, or expose them to it, make themselves guilty of their sin, and will be accountable for it. If painful operations are submitted to, that our lives may be saved, what ought our minds to shrink from, when the salvation of our souls is concerned? There is tender mercy under all the Divine requirements, and the grace and consolations of the Spirit will enable us to attend to them.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 31:1
Commentary on Job 31:1-8
(Read Job 31:1-8)
Job did not speak the things here recorded by way of boasting, but in answer to the charge of hypocrisy. He understood the spiritual nature of God's commandments, as reaching to the thoughts and intents of the heart. It is best to let our actions speak for us; but in some cases we owe it to ourselves and to the cause of God, solemnly to protest our innocence of the crimes of which we are falsely accused. The lusts of the flesh, and the love of the world, are two fatal rocks on which multitudes split; against these Job protests he was always careful to stand upon his guard. And God takes more exact notice of us than we do of ourselves; let us therefore walk circumspectly. He carefully avoided all sinful means of getting wealth. He dreaded all forbidden profit as much as all forbidden pleasure. What we have in the world may be used with comfort, or lost with comfort, if honestly gotten. Without strict honestly and faithfulness in all our dealings, we can have no good evidence of true godliness. Yet how many professors are unable to abide this touchstone!