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¹ I made a couenant with mine eyes: why then should I thinke on a mayde?² For what portion should I haue of God from aboue? and what inheritance of the Almightie from on hie?³ Is not destruction to the wicked & strange punishment to the workers of iniquitie?⁴ Doeth not he beholde my wayes and tell all my steps?⁵ If I haue walked in vanitie, or if my foote hath made haste to deceite,⁶ Let God weigh me in the iust balance, and he shal know mine vprightnes.⁷ If my steppe hath turned out of the way, or mine heart hath walked after mine eye, or if any blot hath cleaued to mine handes,⁸ Let me sowe, & let another eate: yea, let my plantes be rooted out.

⁹ If mine heart hath bene deceiued by a woman, or if I haue layde wayte at the doore of my neighbour,¹⁰ Let my wife grinde vnto another man, and let other men bow downe vpon her:¹¹ For this is a wickednes, and iniquitie to bee condemned:¹² Yea, this is a fire that shal deuoure to destructio, & which shal roote out al mine increase,¹³ If I did contemne the iudgement of my seruant, and of my mayde, when they did contend with me,¹⁴ What then shal I do when God standeth vp? & when he shal visit me, what shal I answere?¹⁵ He that hath made me in the wombe, hath he not made him? hath not he alone facioned vs in the wombe?

¹⁶ If I restrained the poore of their desire, or haue caused the eyes of the widow to faile,¹⁷ Or haue eaten my morsels alone, and the fatherles hath not eaten thereof,¹⁸ (For from my youth hee hath growen vp with me as with a father, and from my mothers wombe I haue bene a guide vnto her)¹⁹ If I haue seene any perish for want of clothing, or any poore without couering,²⁰ If his loynes haue not blessed me, because he was warmed with the fleece of my sheepe,²¹ If I haue lift vp mine hande against the fatherlesse, when I saw that I might helpe him in the gate,²² Let mine arme fal from my shoulder, & mine arme be broken from the bone.²³ For Gods punishment was fearefull vnto me, & I could not be deliuered from his highnes.

²⁴ If I made gold mine hope, or haue sayd to the wedge of golde, Thou art my confidence,²⁵ If I reioyced because my substance was great, or because mine hand had gotten much,²⁶ If I did behold the sunne, when it shined, or the moone, walking in her brightnes,²⁷ If mine heart did flatter me in secrete, or if my mouth did kisse mine hand,²⁸ (This also had bene an iniquitie to be condemned: for I had denied the God aboue)²⁹ If I reioyced at his destruction that hated me, or was mooued to ioye when euill came vpon him,³⁰ Neither haue I suffred my mouth to sinne, by wishing a curse vnto his soule.³¹ Did not the men of my Tabernacle say, Who shall giue vs of his flesh? we can not bee satisfied.³² The stranger did not lodge in the streete, but I opened my doores vnto him, that went by the way.

³³ If I haue hid my sinne, as Adam, concealing mine iniquitie in my bosome,³⁴ Though I could haue made afraid a great multitude, yet the most contemptible of the families did feare me: so I kept silence, and went not out of the doore.³⁵ Oh that I had some to heare me! beholde my signe that the Almightie will witnesse for me: though mine aduersary should write a booke against me,³⁶ Woulde not I take it vpon my shoulder, and binde it as a crowne vnto me?³⁷ I will tell him the nomber of my goings, and goe vnto him as to a prince.³⁸ If my lande cry against me, or the furrowes thereof complayne together,³⁹ If I haue eaten the fruites thereof without siluer: or if I haue grieued the soules of the masters thereof,⁴⁰ Let thistles growe in steade of wheate, and cockle in the stead of Barley. The wordes of Iob are ended.