1 “I have made a covenant with my eyes;
Why then should I¹ look upon a ^ayoung woman? ‡

2 For what is the ^aallotment of God from above,
And the inheritance of the Almighty from on high? ‡

3 Is it not destruction for the wicked,
And disaster for the workers of iniquity?

4 ^aDoes He not see my ways,
And count all my steps? ‡

5 “If I have walked with falsehood,
Or if my foot has hastened to deceit,

6 ¹Let me be weighed on honest scales,
That God may know my ^aintegrity. ‡

7 If my step has turned from the way,
Or ^amy heart walked after my eyes,
Or if any spot adheres to my hands, ‡

8 Then ^alet me sow, and another eat;
Yes, let my harvest be¹ rooted out. ‡

9 “If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
Or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,

10 Then let my wife grind for ^aanother,
And let others bow down over her. ‡

11 For that would be wickedness;
Yes, ^ait would be iniquity deserving of judgment. ‡

12 For that would be a fire that consumes to destruction,
And would root out all my increase.

13 “If I have ^adespised the cause of my male or female servant
When they complained against me, ‡

14 What then shall I do when ^aGod rises up?
When He punishes, how shall I answer Him? ‡

15 ^aDid not He who made me in the womb make them?
Did not the same One fashion us in the womb? ‡

16 “If I have kept the poor from their desire,
Or caused the eyes of the widow to ^afail, ‡

17 Or eaten my morsel by myself,
So that the fatherless could not eat of it

18 (But from my youth I reared him as a father,
And from my mother’s womb I guided¹ the widow); ‡

19 If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
Or any poor man without covering;

20 If his¹ heart has not ^ablessed me,
And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; ‡

21 If I have raised my hand ^aagainst the fatherless,
When I saw I had help in the gate; ‡

22 Then let my arm fall from my shoulder,
Let my arm be torn from the socket.

23 For ^adestruction from God is a terror to me,
And because of His magnificence I cannot endure. ‡

24 “If^a I have made gold my hope,
Or said to fine gold, ‘You are my confidence’; ‡

25 ^aIf I have rejoiced because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had gained much; ‡

26 ^aIf I have observed the¹ sun when it shines,
Or the moon moving in brightness, ‡

27 So that my heart has been secretly enticed,
And my mouth has kissed my hand;

28 This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment,
For I would have denied God who is above.

29 “If^a I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me,
Or lifted myself up when evil found him ‡

30 ^a(Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin
By asking for a curse on his¹ soul); ‡

31 If the men of my tent have not said,
‘Who is there that has not been satisfied with his meat?’

32 ^a(But no sojourner had to lodge in the street,
For I have opened my doors to the¹ traveler); ‡

33 If I have covered my transgressions ^aas Adam,
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom, ‡

34 Because I feared the great ^amultitude,
And dreaded the contempt of families,
So that I kept silence
And did not go out of the door— ‡

35 ^aOh, that I had one to hear me!
Here is my mark.
Oh, ^bthat the Almighty would answer me,
That my¹ Prosecutor had written a book! ‡

36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder,
And bind it on me like a crown;

37 I would declare to Him the number of my steps;
Like a prince I would approach Him.

38 “If my land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together;

39 If ^aI have eaten its fruit without money,
Or ^bcaused its owners to lose their lives; ‡

40 Then let ^athistles grow instead of wheat,
And weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended. ‡