¹ I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon 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 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?

⁵ If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;

⁶ Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity.

⁷ If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;

⁸ Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, 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 unto another, and let others bow down upon her.

¹¹ For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

¹² For it is a fire that consumeth 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 shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall 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 hath not eaten thereof;

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, Thou art my confidence;

²⁵ If I rejoice because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;

²⁶ If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;

²⁷ And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath 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 rejoice 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! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.

³⁶ Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.

³⁷ I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.

³⁸ If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;

³⁹ If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

⁴⁰ Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.

---

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 ^H7453 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 ^H517 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 the Almighty ^H7706 would answer ^H6030 me, and that mine adversary ^{H376 H7379} 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

---

¹ I made a covenant with mine eyes; How then should I look upon a virgin?

² For what is the portion from God above, And the heritage from the Almighty on high?

³ Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, And disaster to the workers of iniquity?

⁴ Doth not he see my ways, And number all my steps?

⁵ If I have walked with falsehood, And my foot hath hasted to deceit;

⁶ (Let me be weighed in an even balance, That God may know mine integrity);

⁷ If my step hath turned out of the way, And my heart walked after mine eyes, And if any spot hath cleaved to my hands:

⁸ Then let me sow, and let another eat; Yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

⁹ If my heart hath been enticed unto a woman, And I have laid wait at my neighbor's door;

¹⁰ Then let my wife grind unto another, And let others bow down upon her.

¹¹ For that were a heinous crime; Yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges:

¹² For it is a fire that consumeth unto Destruction, And would root out all mine increase.

¹³ If I have despised the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant, When they contended with me;

¹⁴ What then shall I do when God riseth up? And when he visiteth, what shall 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 alone, And the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;

¹⁸ (Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, And her have I guided from my mother's womb);

¹⁹ If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, Or that the needy had no covering;

²⁰ If his loins have not blessed me, And if he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

²¹ If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, Because I saw my help in the gate:

²² Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, And mine arm be broken from the bone.

²³ For calamity from God is a terror to me, And by reason of his majesty I can do nothing.

²⁴ If I have made gold my hope, And have said to the fine gold, `Thou art' my confidence;

²⁵ If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gotten much;

²⁶ If I have beheld the sun when it shined, Or the moon walking in brightness,

²⁷ And my heart hath been secretly enticed, And my mouth hath kissed my hand:

²⁸ This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; For I should have denied the God that is above.

²⁹ If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, Or lifted up myself when evil found him;

³⁰ (Yea, I have not suffered by mouth to sin By asking his life with a curse);

³¹ If the men of my tent have not said, Who can find one that hath not been filled with his meat?

³² (The sojourner hath not lodged in the street; But I have opened my doors to the traveller);

³³ If like Adam I have covered my transgressions, By hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,

³⁴ Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence, and went not out of the door-

³⁵ Oh that I had one to hear me! (Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me); And `that I had' the indictment which mine adversary hath written!

³⁶ Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown:

³⁷ I would declare unto him the number of my steps; As a prince would I go near unto him.

³⁸ If my land crieth out against me, And the furrows thereof weep together;

³⁹ If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, Or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

⁴⁰ Let thistles grow instead of wheat, And cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.

---

¹ A covenant I made for mine eyes, And what -- do I attend to a virgin?

² And what `is' the portion of God from above? And the inheritance of the Mighty from the heights?

³ Is not calamity to the perverse? And strangeness to workers of iniquity?

⁴ Doth not He see my ways, And all my steps number?

⁵ If I have walked with vanity, And my foot doth hasten to deceit,

⁶ He doth weigh me in righteous balances, And God doth know my integrity.

⁷ If my step doth turn aside from the way, And after mine eyes hath my heart gone, And to my hands cleaved hath blemish,

⁸ Let me sow -- and another eat, And my products let be rooted out.

⁹ If my heart hath been enticed by woman, And by the opening of my neighbour I laid wait,

¹⁰ Grind to another let my wife, And over her let others bend.

¹¹ For it `is' a wicked thing, and a judicial iniquity;

¹² For a fire it `is', to destruction it consumeth, And among all mine increase doth take root,

¹³ If I despise the cause of my man-servant, And of my handmaid, In their contending with me,

¹⁴ Then what do I do when God ariseth? And when He doth inspect, What do I answer Him?

¹⁵ Did not He that made me in the womb make him? Yea, prepare us in the womb doth One.

¹⁶ If I withhold from pleasure the poor, And the eyes of the widow do consume,

¹⁷ And I do eat my morsel by myself, And the orphan hath not eat of it,

¹⁸ (But from my youth He grew up with me as `with' a father, And from the belly of my mother I am led.)

¹⁹ If I see `any' perishing without clothing, And there is no covering to the needy,

²⁰ If his loins have not blessed me, And from the fleece of my sheep He doth not warm himself,

²¹ If I have waved at the fatherless my hand, When I see in `him' the gate of my court,

²² My shoulder from its blade let fall, And mine arm from the bone be broken.

²³ For a dread unto me `is' calamity `from' God, And because of His excellency I am not able.

²⁴ If I have made gold my confidence, And to the pure gold have said, `My trust,'

²⁵ If I rejoice because great `is' my wealth, And because abundance hath my hand found,

²⁶ If I see the light when it shineth, And the precious moon walking,

²⁷ And my heart is enticed in secret, And my hand doth kiss my mouth,

²⁸ It also `is' a judicial iniquity, For I had lied to God above.

²⁹ If I rejoice at the ruin of my hater, And stirred up myself when evil found him,

³⁰ Yea, I have not suffered my mouth to sin, To ask with an oath his life.

³¹ If not -- say ye, O men of my tent, `O that we had of his flesh, we are not satisfied.'

³² In the street doth not lodge a stranger, My doors to the traveller I open.

³³ If I have covered as Adam my transgressions, To hide in my bosom mine iniquity,

³⁴ Because I fear a great multitude, And the contempt of families doth affright me, Then I am silent, I go not out of the opening.

³⁵ Who giveth to me a hearing? lo, my mark. The Mighty One doth answer me, And a bill hath mine adversary written.

³⁶ If not -- on my shoulder I take it up, I bind it a crown on myself.

³⁷ The number of my steps I tell Him, As a leader I approach Him.

³⁸ If against me my land doth cry out, And together its furrows weep,

³⁹ If its strength I consumed without money, And the life of its possessors, I have caused to breathe out,

⁴⁰ Instead of wheat let a thorn go forth, And instead of barley a useless weed! The words of Job are finished.

---

¹ I made a covenant with mine eyes; and how should I fix my regard upon a maid?

² For what would have been [my] portion of +God from above, and what the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

³ Is not calamity for the unrighteous? and misfortune for the workers of iniquity?

⁴ Doth not he see my ways, and number all my steps?

⁵ If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot hath hasted to deceit,

⁶ (Let me be weighed in an even balance, and +God will take knowledge of my blamelessness;)

⁷ If my step have turned out of the way, and my heart followed mine eyes, and if any blot cleaveth to my hands;

⁸ Let me sow, and another eat; and let mine offspring be rooted out.

⁹ If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, so that I laid wait at my neighbour's door,

¹⁰ Let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down upon her.

¹¹ For this is an infamy; yea, it is an iniquity [to be judged by] the judges:

¹² For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.

¹³ If I have despised the cause of my bondman or of my bondmaid, when they contended with me,

¹⁴ What then should I do when ùGod riseth up? and if he visited, what should 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 caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

¹⁷ Or have eaten my morsel alone, so that the fatherless ate not thereof,

¹⁸ (For from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided the [widow] from my mother's womb;)

¹⁹ If I have seen any perishing for want of clothing, or any needy without covering;

²⁰ If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my lambs;

²¹ If I have lifted up my hand against an orphan, because I saw my help in the gate:

²² [Then] let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone!

²³ For calamity from ùGod was a terror to me, and by reason of his excellency I was powerless.

²⁴ If I have made gold my hope, or said to the fine gold, My confidence!

²⁵ If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;

²⁶ If I beheld the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in brightness,

²⁷ And my heart have been secretly enticed, so that my mouth kissed my hand:

²⁸ This also would be an iniquity for the judge, for I should have denied the ùGod who is above.

²⁹ If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, and exulted when evil befell him;

³⁰ (Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse;)

³¹ If the men of my tent said not, Who shall find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat? --

³² The stranger did not lodge without; I opened my doors to the pathway.

³³ If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,

³⁴ Because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door, ...

³⁵ Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold my signature: let the Almighty answer me! And let mine opponent write an accusation!

³⁶ Would I not take it upon my shoulder? I would bind it on to me [as] a crown;

³⁷ I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I come near to him.

³⁸ If my land cry out against me, and its furrows weep together;

³⁹ If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have tormented to death the souls of its owners:

⁴⁰ Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and tares instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.

---

¹ "I made a covenant with my eyes, How then should I look lustfully at a young woman?

² For what is the portion from God above, And the heritage from the Almighty on high?

³ Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, And disaster to the workers of iniquity?

⁴ Doesn't he see my ways, And number all my steps?

⁵ "If I have walked with falsehood, And my foot has hurried to deceit

⁶ (Let me be weighed in an even balance, That God may know my integrity);

⁷ If my step has turned out of the way, If my heart walked after my eyes, If any defilement has stuck to my hands,

⁸ Then let me sow, and let another eat; Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

⁹ "If my heart has been enticed to a woman, And I have laid wait at my neighbor's door;

¹⁰ Then let my wife grind for another, And let others sleep with her.

¹¹ For that would be a heinous crime; Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges:

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

¹³ "If I have despised the cause of my man-servant Or of my maid-servant, When they contended with me;

¹⁴ What then shall I do when God rises up? When he visits, what shall I answer him?

¹⁵ Didn't he who made me in the womb make him? Didn't 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 alone, And the fatherless has not eaten of it

¹⁸ (No, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, Her have I guided from my mother's womb);

¹⁹ If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, Or that the needy had no covering;

²⁰ If his heart hasn't blessed me, If he hasn't been warmed with my sheep's fleece;

²¹ If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, Because I saw my help in the gate:

²² Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, And my arm be broken from the bone.

²³ For calamity from God is a terror to me, By reason of his majesty I can do nothing.

²⁴ "If I have made gold my hope, And have said to the fine gold, 'You are my confidence;'

²⁵ If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gotten much;

²⁶ If I have seen the sun when it shined, Or the moon moving in splendor,

²⁷ And my heart has been secretly enticed, My hand threw a kiss from my mouth:

²⁸ This also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges; For I should have denied the God who is above.

²⁹ "If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, Or lifted up myself when evil found him;

³⁰ (Yes, I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking his life with a curse);

³¹ If the men of my tent have not said, 'Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?'

³² (The foreigner has not lodged in the street; But I have opened my doors to the traveler);

³³ If like Adam I have covered my transgressions, By hiding my iniquity in my heart,

³⁴ Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence, and didn't go out of the door--

³⁵ Oh that I had one to hear me! (Behold, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me); Let the accuser write my indictment!

³⁶ Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; And I would bind it to me as a crown.

³⁷ I would declare to him the number of my steps. As a prince would I go near to him.

³⁸ If my land cries out against me, And the furrows of it weep together;

³⁹ If I have eaten the fruits of it without money, Or have caused the owners of it to lose their life:

⁴⁰ Let briars grow instead of wheat, And stinkweed instead of barley." The words of Job are ended.

---

¹ I made an agreement with my eyes; how then might my eyes be looking on a virgin?

² For what is God's reward from on high, or the heritage given by the Ruler of all from heaven?

³ Is it not trouble for the sinner, and destruction for the evil-doers?

⁴ Does he not see my ways, and are not my steps all numbered?

⁵ If I have gone in false ways, or my foot has been quick in working deceit;

⁶ (Let me be measured in upright scales, and let God see my righteousness:)

⁷ If my steps have been turned out of the way, or if my heart went after my eyes, or if the property of another is in my hands;

⁸ Let me put seed in the earth for another to have the fruit of it, and let my produce be uprooted.

⁹ If my heart went after another man's wife, or if I was waiting secretly at my neighbour's door;

¹⁰ Then let my wife give pleasure to another man and let others make use of her body.

¹¹ For that would be a crime; it would be an act for which punishment would be measured out by the judges:

¹² It would be a fire burning even to destruction, and taking away all my produce.

¹³ If I did wrong in the cause of my man-servant, or my woman-servant, when they went to law with me;

¹⁴ What then will I do when God comes as my judge? and what answer may I give to his questions?

¹⁵ Did not God make him as well as me? did he not give us life in our mothers' bodies?

¹⁶ If I kept back the desire of the poor; if the widow's eye was looking for help to no purpose;

¹⁷ If I kept my food for myself, and did not give some of it to the child with no father;

¹⁸ (For I was cared for by God as by a father from my earliest days; he was my guide from the body of my mother;)

¹⁹ If I saw one near to death for need of clothing, and that the poor had nothing covering him;

²⁰ If his back did not give me a blessing, and the wool of my sheep did not make him warm;

²¹ If my hand had been lifted up against him who had done no wrong, when I saw that I was supported by the judges;

²² May my arm be pulled from my body, and be broken from its base.

²³ For the fear of God kept me back, and because of his power I might not do such things.

²⁴ If I made gold my hope, or if I ever said to the best gold, I have put my faith in you;

²⁵ If I was glad because my wealth was great, and because my hand had got together a great store;

²⁶ If, when I saw the sun shining, and the moon moving on its bright way,

²⁷ A secret feeling of worship came into my heart, and my hand gave kisses from my mouth;

²⁸ That would have been another sin to be rewarded with punishment by the judges; for I would have been false to God on high.

²⁹ If I was glad at the trouble of my hater, and gave cries of joy when evil overtook him;

³⁰ (For I did not let my mouth give way to sin, in putting a curse on his life;)

³¹ If the men of my tent did not say, Who has not had full measure of his meat?

³² The traveller did not take his night's rest in the street, and my doors were open to anyone on a journey;

³³ If I kept my evil doings covered, and my sin in the secret of my breast,

³⁴ For fear of the great body of people, or for fear that families might make sport of me, so that I kept quiet, and did not go out of my door;

³⁵ If only God would give ear to me, and the Ruler of all would give me an answer! or if what he has against me had been put in writing!

³⁶ Truly I would take up the book in my hands; it would be to me as a crown;

³⁷ I would make clear the number of my steps, I would put it before him like a prince! The words of Job are ended.

³⁸ If my land has made an outcry against me, or the ploughed earth has been in sorrow;

³⁹ If I have taken its produce without payment, causing the death of its owners;

⁴⁰ Then in place of grain let thorns come up, and in place of barley evil-smelling plants.