1
I made[H3772] a covenant[H1285] with mine eyes[H5869]; why then should I think[H995] upon a maid?[H1330]
2
For what portion[H2506] of God[H433] is there from above?[H4605] and what inheritance[H5159] of the Almighty[H7706] from on high?[H4791]
3
Is not destruction[H343] to the wicked?[H5767] and a strange[H5235] punishment to the workers[H6466] of iniquity?[H205]
4
Doth not he see[H7200] my ways[H1870], and count[H5608] all my steps?[H6806]
5
If I have walked[H1980] with vanity[H7723], or if my foot[H7272] hath hasted[H2363] to deceit[H4820];
6
Let me be weighed[H8254] in an even[H6664]balance[H3976], that God[H433] may know[H3045] mine integrity[H8538].
7
If my step[H838] hath turned out[H5186] of the way[H1870], and mine heart[H3820]walked[H1980]after[H310] mine eyes[H5869], and if any blot[H3971] hath cleaved[H1692] to mine hands[H3709];
8
Then let me sow[H2232], and let another[H312]eat[H398]; yea, let my offspring[H6631] be rooted out[H8327].
9
If mine heart[H3820] have been deceived[H6601] by a woman[H802], or if I have laid wait[H693] at my neighbour's door[H6607];
10
Then let my wife[H802]grind[H2912] unto another[H312], and let others[H312] bow down[H3766] upon her.
11
For this is an heinous crime[H2154]; yea, it is an iniquity[H5771] to be punished by the judges[H6414].
12
For it is a fire[H784] that consumeth[H398] to destruction[H11], and would root out[H8327] all mine increase[H8393].
13
If I did despise[H3988] the cause[H4941] of my manservant[H5650] or of my maidservant[H519], when they contended[H7379] with me;
14
What then shall I do[H6213] when God[H410] riseth up?[H6965] and when he visiteth[H6485], what shall I answer[H7725] him?
15
Did not he that made[H6213] me in the womb[H990]make[H6213] him? and did not one[H259]fashion[H3559] us in the womb?[H7358]
16
If I have withheld[H4513] the poor[H1800] from their desire[H2656], or have caused the eyes[H5869] of the widow[H490] to fail[H3615];
17
Or have eaten[H398] my morsel[H6595] myself alone, and the fatherless[H3490] hath not eaten[H398] thereof;
18
(For from my youth[H5271] he was brought up[H1431] with me, as with a father[H1], and I have guided[H5148] her from my mother's womb[H990];)
19
If I have seen[H7200] any perish[H6] for want of clothing[H3830], or any poor[H34] without covering[H3682];
20
If his loins[H2504] have not blessed[H1288] me, and if he were not warmed[H2552] with the fleece[H1488] of my sheep[H3532];
21
If I have lifted up[H5130] my hand[H3027] against the fatherless[H3490], when I saw[H7200] my help[H5833] in the gate[H8179]:
22
Then let mine arm[H3802]fall[H5307] from my shoulder blade[H7929], and mine arm[H248] be broken[H7665] from the bone[H7070].
23
For destruction[H343] from God[H410] was a terror[H6343] to me, and by reason of his highness[H7613] I could[H3201] not endure.
24
If I have made[H7760]gold[H2091] my hope[H3689], or have said[H559] to the fine gold[H3800], Thou art my confidence[H4009];
25
If I rejoiced[H8055] because my wealth[H2428] was great[H7227], and because mine hand[H3027] had gotten[H4672]much[H3524];
26
If I beheld[H7200] the sun[H216] when it shined[H1984], or the moon[H3394]walking[H1980] in brightness[H3368];
27
And my heart[H3820] hath been secretly[H5643]enticed[H6601], or my mouth[H6310] hath kissed[H5401] my hand[H3027]:
28
This also were an iniquity[H5771] to be punished by the judge[H6416]: for I should have denied[H3584] the God[H410] that is above[H4605].
29
If I rejoiced[H8055] at the destruction[H6365] of him that hated[H8130] me, or lifted up[H5782] myself when evil[H7451]found[H4672] him:
30
Neither have I suffered[H5414] my mouth[H2441] to sin[H2398] by wishing[H7592] a curse[H423] to his soul[H5315].
31
If the men[H4962] of my tabernacle[H168]said[H559] not, Oh that we had[H5414] of his flesh[H1320]! we cannot be satisfied[H7646].
32
The stranger[H1616] did not lodge[H3885] in the street[H2351]: but I opened[H6605] my doors[H1817] to the traveller[H734].
33
If I covered[H3680] my transgressions[H6588] as Adam[H121], by hiding[H2934] mine iniquity[H5771] in my bosom[H2243]:
34
Did I fear[H6206] a great[H7227]multitude[H1995], or did the contempt[H937] of families[H4940]terrify[H2865] me, that I kept silence[H1826], and went not out[H3318] of the door?[H6607]
35
Oh that[H5414] one would hear[H8085] me! behold, my desire[H8420] is, that[H5414] the Almighty[H7706] would answer[H6030] me, and that[H5414] mine adversary[H376] had written[H3789] a book[H5612].
36
Surely I would take[H5375] it upon my shoulder[H7926], and bind[H6029] it as a crown[H5850] to me.
37
I would declare[H5046] unto him the number[H4557] of my steps[H6806]; as a prince[H5057] would I go near[H7126] unto him.
38
If my land[H127]cry[H2199] against me, or that the furrows[H8525]likewise[H3162] thereof complain[H1058];
39
If I have eaten[H398] the fruits[H3581] thereof without money[H3701], or have caused the owners[H1167] thereof to lose[H5301] their life[H5315]:
40
Let thistles[H2336]grow[H3318] instead of wheat[H2406], and cockle[H890] instead of barley[H8184]. The words[H1697] of Job[H347] are ended[H8552].