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¹ I made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I look intently on a virgin?² For what is the portion from God above? And what is the legacy from the Almighty on high?³ Is it not disaster to the perverse, and calamity to the workers of iniquity?⁴ Does He not see my ways and count all my steps?⁵ If I have walked with vanity, or my foot has hurried to deceit,⁶ let me be weighed in a just balance so that God may know my integrity.⁷ If my step has turned aside out of the way, or my heart has walked after my eyes, and if any blot has held fast to my hands,⁸ let me sow, and let another eat; and let my harvests be rooted out.

⁹ If my heart has been enticed by a woman; or I have laid wait at my neighbor's door,¹⁰ let my wife grind to another, and let others crouch over her.¹¹ For that would be an evil scheme, and is iniquity for judges.¹² For it is a fire that devours to the Place of Ruin, and it would root up all my gain.¹³ If I despised the cause of my male slave or my slave-girl when they contended with me,¹⁴ what then shall I do when God rises up? And when He calls me to account, what shall I answer Him?¹⁵ Did not He who made me in the belly make him? And did not One shape us in the womb?

¹⁶ If I have withheld from the desire of the poor, or I have consumed the widow's eyes,¹⁷ or have eaten my bit alone, and the orphan has not eaten it,¹⁸ for from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and from my mother's womb I guided her.¹⁹ If I have seen any perish for lack of clothing, or there was no covering for the needy;²⁰ if his loins have not blessed me, and he warmed himself with the fleece of my flock;²¹ if I have lifted up my hand against the orphan, when I watched over my help in the gate;²² let my shoulder fall from the back, and let my arm be broken from the elbow.²³ For trouble from God is a terror to me, and I could not do the thing because of His majesty.

²⁴ If I have made gold my hope or have called fine gold my trust;²⁵ if I rejoiced because my wealth was great; or because my hand had gotten much;²⁶ if I looked to the light when it shone, or the splendid moon marching,²⁷ and my heart was secretly enticed, or my mouth has kissed my hand;²⁸ this also would be an iniquity for the judges; for I would have denied God above.²⁹ If I rejoiced at the ruin of one hating me, and I was excited when evil found him;³⁰ also I have not given my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse;³¹ if the men of my tent did not say, Who can give one not satisfied from his flesh?³² The stranger did not sleep in the street, for I opened my doors to the traveler;

³³ if I covered my transgressions like Adam, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom,³⁴ then let me fear before a great multitude, and let the scorn of families frighten me and I will be silent, and not go out the door.³⁵ Oh that I had one to hear me! See, my mark! Let the Almighty answer me, and let my Accuser write an indictment.³⁶ Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, and bind it like crowns to me.³⁷ I would tell Him the number of my steps. Like a prince I would go near Him.³⁸ If my land cries out against me, or its furrows weep together;³⁹ if I have eaten its strength without silver, or have caused its owner to expire;⁴⁰ let thorns come forth instead of wheat, and a weed instead of barley. The words of Job are finished.