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¹ I made a couenant with mine eyes; why then should I thinke vpon a mayd? ² For what portion of God is there from aboue? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high? ³ Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquitie? ⁴ Doeth not he see my wayes, and count all my steps? ⁵ If I haue walked with vanitie, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; ⁶ Let me bee weighed in an euen ballance, that God may know mine integritie. ⁷ If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaued to my hands: ⁸ Then let mee sow, and let another eate, yea let my off-spring be rooted out.

⁹ If mine heart haue bene deceiued by a woman, or if I haue layde wait at my neighbours doore: ¹⁰ Then let my wife grind vnto another, and let others bow downe vpon her. ¹¹ For this is an heinous crime, yea, it is an iniquitie to bee punished by the Iudges. ¹² For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would roote out all mine encrease. ¹³ If I did despise the cause of my man-seruant, or of my mayd-seruant, when they contended with me: ¹⁴ What then shall I do, when God riseth vp? and when hee visiteth, what shall I answere him? ¹⁵ Did not hee that made mee in the wombe, make him? and did not one fashion vs in the wombe?

¹⁶ If I haue withhelde the poore from their desire, or haue caused the eyes of the widow to faile: ¹⁷ Or haue eaten my morsell my selfe alone, and the fatherlesse hath not eaten thereof: ¹⁸ (For from my youth hee was brought vp with me as with a father, and I haue guided her from my mothers wombe.) ¹⁹ If I haue seene any perish for want of cloathing, or any poore without couering: ²⁰ If his loynes haue not blessed me, and if hee were not warmed with the fleece of my sheepe: ²¹ If I haue lift vp my hand against the fatherlesse, when I saw my helpe in the gate: ²² Then let mine arme fall from my shoulder-blade, and mine arme be broken from the bone. ²³ For destruction from God was a terrour to mee: and by reason of his highnesse, I could not endure.

²⁴ If I haue made golde my hope, or haue said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence: ²⁵ If I reioyced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much: ²⁶ If I beheld the Sunne when it shined, or the Moone walking in brightnesse: ²⁷ And my heart hath bene secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: ²⁸ This also were an iniquitie to be punished by the Iudge: For I should haue denied the God that is aboue. ²⁹ If I reioyced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lift vp my selfe when euill found him: ³⁰ (Neither haue I suffered my mouth to sinne by wishing a curse to his soule.) ³¹ If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! wee cannot be satisfied. ³² The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doores to the trauailer.

³³ If I couered my transgressions, as Adam: by hiding mine iniquitie in my bosome: ³⁴ Did I feare a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrifie me: that I kept silence, and went not out of the doore? ³⁵ O that one would heare me! beholde, my desire is, that the Almightie would answere me, and that mine aduersary had written a booke. ³⁶ Surely I would take it vpon my shoulder, and bind it as a crowne to me. ³⁷ I would declare vnto him the number of my steps, as a prince would I goe neere vnto him. ³⁸ If my land cry against me, or that the furrowes likewise thereof complaine: ³⁹ If I haue eaten the fruits thereof without money, or haue caused the owners thereof to loose their life: ⁴⁰ Let thistles grow in stead of wheat, and cockle in stead of barley. The words of Iob are ended.