¹ I made a covenant with my eyes why then should I think on a maid? ² For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high? ³ Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity? ⁴ Does not he see my ways, and count all my steps? ⁵ If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot has hasted to deceit; ⁶ Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity. ⁷ If my step has turned out of the way, and my heart walked after my eyes, and if any blot has cleaved to my hands; ⁸ Then let me sow, and let another eat; yes, let my offspring be rooted out. ⁹ If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door; ¹⁰ Then let my wife grind to another, and let others bow down on her. ¹¹ For this is a heinous crime; yes, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. ¹² For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all mine increase. ¹³ If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me; ¹⁴ What then will I do when God rises up ? and when he visits, what will I answer him? ¹⁵ Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb? ¹⁶ If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; ¹⁷ Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it; ¹⁸ (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb ;) ¹⁹ If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering; ²⁰ If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; ²¹ If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate ²² Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone. ²³ For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure. ²⁴ If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, you are my confidence; ²⁵ If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much; ²⁶ If I saw the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness; ²⁷ And my heart has been secretly enticed, or my mouth has kissed my hand ²⁸ This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above. ²⁹ If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him ³⁰ Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul. ³¹ If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied. ³² The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller. ³³ If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom ³⁴ Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door? ³⁵ Oh that one would hear me! see, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book. ³⁶ Surely I would take it on my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me. ³⁷ I would declare to him the number of my steps as a prince would I go near to him. ³⁸ If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise of it complain; ³⁹ If I have eaten the fruits of it without money, or have caused the owners of it to lose their life ⁴⁰ Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.