1 ¶ I made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a maid?

“I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin?

2 F or what reward would God give me from above and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

“And what is the portion of God from above Or the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

3 I s there no destruction for the wicked? And banishment for the workers of iniquity?

“Is it not calamity to the unjust And disaster to those who work iniquity?

4 D oes he not see my ways and count all my steps?

“Does He not see my ways And number all my steps?

5 I f I have walked with falsehood or if my foot has hastened to deceit,

“If I have walked with falsehood, And my foot has hastened after deceit,

6 l et me be weighed in a just balance, that God may know my integrity.

Let Him weigh me with accurate scales, And let God know my integrity.

7 I f my step has turned out of the way and my heart walked after my eyes and if any blot has cleaved to my hands,

“If my step has turned from the way, Or my heart followed my eyes, Or if any spot has stuck to my hands,

8 t hen let me sow, and let another eat, and let my offspring be rooted out.

Let me sow and another eat, And let my crops be uprooted.

9 ¶ If my heart has been deceived regarding a woman, or if I have laid in wait at my neighbour’s door,

“If my heart has been enticed by a woman, Or I have lurked at my neighbor’s doorway,

10 t hen let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down upon her.

May my wife grind for another, And let others kneel down over her.

11 F or this is lewdness and iniquity that is proven.

“For that would be a lustful crime; Moreover, it would be an iniquity punishable by judges.

12 F or it is a fire that consumes unto hell and would root out all my increase.

“For it would be fire that consumes to Abaddon, And would uproot all my increase.

13 I f I had despised the right of my manslave or of my maidslave, when they contended with me;

“If I have despised the claim of my male or female slaves When they filed a complaint against me,

14 w hat then would I do when God rises up? And when he visits, what would I answer him?

What then could I do when God arises? And when He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?

15 D id not he that made me in the belly also make him? And did not the same one fashion us in the womb?

“Did not He who made me in the womb make him, And the same one fashion us in the womb?

16 ¶ If I have disturbed the desire of the poor or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

“If I have kept the poor from their desire, Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17 o r have eaten my morsel alone and the fatherless has not eaten thereof;

Or have eaten my morsel alone, And the orphan has not shared it

18 ( for from my youth the fatherless was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided the widow from my mother’s womb)

(But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, And from infancy I guided her),

19 i f I have seen any perish for want of clothing or any needy without a covering;

If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, Or that the needy had no covering,

20 i f his loins have not blessed me and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

If his loins have not thanked me, And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

21 i f I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, even when I saw that they would all help me in the gate;

If I have lifted up my hand against the orphan, Because I saw I had support in the gate,

22 t hen let my back fall from my shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from its joint.

Let my shoulder fall from the socket, And my arm be broken off at the elbow.

23 F or I feared destruction from God, against whose highness I could have no power.

“For calamity from God is a terror to me, And because of His majesty I can do nothing.

24 ¶ If I have made gold my hope or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;

“If I have put my confidence in gold, And called fine gold my trust,

25 i f I rejoiced because my wealth was being multiplied, and because my hand had gotten much;

If I have gloated because my wealth was great, And because my hand had secured so much;

26 i f I beheld the sun when it shone or the moon walking in beauty;

If I have looked at the sun when it shone Or the moon going in splendor,

27 a nd my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth kissed my hand;

And my heart became secretly enticed, And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,

28 t his would also be a proven iniquity; for I should have denied the God that is sovereign.

That too would have been an iniquity calling for judgment, For I would have denied God above.

29 I f I rejoiced at the destruction of the one that hated me or lifted up myself when evil found him;

“Have I rejoiced at the extinction of my enemy, Or exulted when evil befell him?

30 f or I have never even suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse upon his soul;

“ No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking for his life in a curse.

31 w hen the servants of my tent said, Oh that we had of his flesh! We would never be satisfied.

“Have the men of my tent not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been satisfied with his meat’?

32 T he stranger did not lodge in the street, but I opened my doors to the traveller.

“The alien has not lodged outside, For I have opened my doors to the traveler.

33 ¶ If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom;

“Have I covered my transgressions like Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

34 i f I feared a great multitude or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and did not go out of the door?

Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, And kept silent and did not go out of doors?

35 O h that someone would hear me! Behold, my mark is, that the Almighty will testify for me, even though my adversary had written down the charges.

“Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature; Let the Almighty answer me! And the indictment which my adversary has written,

36 S urely I would take it upon my shoulder and bind it as a crown to me.

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, I would bind it to myself like a crown.

37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince I would go near unto him.

“I would declare to Him the number of my steps; Like a prince I would approach Him.

38 I f my land cries against me and all its furrows likewise complain;

“If my land cries out against me, And its furrows weep together;

39 i f I ate of its strength without money or have afflicted the soul of its owners;

If I have eaten its fruit without money, Or have caused its owners to lose their lives,

40 l et thistles grow up unto me instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.

Let briars grow instead of wheat, And stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.