1 I have made a solemn promise
never to look with lust at a woman.
2 What does Almighty God do to us?
How does he repay human deeds?
3 He sends disaster and ruin
to those who do wrong.
4 God knows everything I do;
he sees every step I take.
5 I swear I have never acted wickedly
and never tried to deceive others.
6 Let God weigh me on honest scales,
and he will see how innocent I am.
7 If I have turned from the right path
or let myself be attracted to evil,
if my hands are stained with sin,
8 then let my crops be destroyed,
or let others eat the food I grow.
9 If I have been attracted to my neighbor's wife,
and waited, hidden, outside her door,
10 then let my wife cook another man's food
and sleep in another man's bed.
11 Such wickedness should be punished by death.
12 It would be like a destructive, hellish fire,
consuming everything I have.
13 When any of my servants complained against me,
I would listen and treat them fairly.
14 If I did not, how could I then face God?
What could I say when God came to judge me?
15 The same God who created me
created my servants also.
16 I have never refused to help the poor;
never have I let widows live in despair
17 or let orphans go hungry while I ate.
18 All my life I have taken care of them.
19 When I found someone in need,
too poor to buy clothes,
20 I would give him clothing made of wool
that had come from my own flock of sheep.
Then he would praise me with all his heart.
21 If I have ever cheated an orphan,
knowing I could win in court,
22 then may my arms be broken;
may they be torn from my shoulders.
23 Because I fear God's punishment,
I could never do such a thing.
24 I have never trusted in riches
25 or taken pride in my wealth.
26 I have never worshiped the sun in its brightness
or the moon in all its beauty.
27 I have not been led astray to honor them
by kissing my hand in reverence to them.
28 Such a sin should be punished by death;
it denies Almighty God.
29 I have never been glad when my enemies suffered,
or pleased when they met with disaster;
30 I never sinned by praying for their death.
31 All those who work for me know
that I have always welcomed strangers.
32 I invited travelers into my home
and never let them sleep in the streets.
33 Others try to hide their sins,
but I have never concealed mine.
34 I have never feared what people would say;
I have never kept quiet or stayed indoors
because I feared their scorn.
35 Will no one listen to what I am saying?
I swear that every word is true.
Let Almighty God answer me.
If the charges my opponent brings against me
were written down so that I could see them,
36 I would wear them proudly on my shoulder
and place them on my head like a crown.
37 I would tell God everything I have done,
and hold my head high in his presence.
38 If I have stolen the land I farm
and taken it from its rightful owners—
39 if I have eaten the food that grew there
but let the farmers that grew it starve—
40 then instead of wheat and barley,
may weeds and thistles grow.
The words of Job are ended.
1 I made a couenant with mine eyes: why then should I thinke on a mayde? 2 For what portion should I haue of God from aboue? and what inheritance of the Almightie from on hie? 3 Is not destruction to the wicked and strange punishment to the workers of iniquitie? 4 Doeth not he beholde my wayes and tell all my steps? 5 If I haue walked in vanitie, or if my foote hath made haste to deceite, 6 Let God weigh me in the iust balance, and he shall know mine vprightnes. 7 If my steppe hath turned out of the way, or mine heart hath walked after mine eye, or if any blot hath cleaued to mine handes, 8 Let me sowe, and let another eate: yea, let my plantes be rooted out. 9 If mine heart hath bene deceiued by a woman, or if I haue layde wayte at the doore of my neighbour, 10 Let my wife grinde vnto another man, and let other men bow downe vpon her: 11 For this is a wickednes, and iniquitie to bee condemned: 12 Yea, this is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction, and which shall roote out al mine increase, 13 If I did contemne the iudgement of my seruant, and of my mayde, when they did contend with me, 14 What then shall I do when God standeth vp? and when he shall visit me, what shall I answere? 15 He that hath made me in the wombe, hath he not made him? hath not he alone facioned vs in the wombe? 16 If I restrained the poore of their desire, or haue caused the eyes of the widow to faile, 17 Or haue eaten my morsels alone, and the fatherles hath not eaten thereof, 18 (For from my youth hee hath growen vp with me as with a father, and from my mothers wombe I haue bene a guide vnto her) 19 If I haue seene any perish for want of clothing, or any poore without couering, 20 If his loynes haue not blessed me, because he was warmed with the fleece of my sheepe, 21 If I haue lift vp mine hande against the fatherlesse, when I saw that I might helpe him in the gate, 22 Let mine arme fal from my shoulder, and mine arme be broken from the bone. 23 For Gods punishment was fearefull vnto me, and I could not be deliuered from his highnes. 24 If I made gold mine hope, or haue sayd to the wedge of golde, Thou art my confidence, 25 If I reioyced because my substance was great, or because mine hand had gotten much, 26 If I did behold the sunne, when it shined, or the moone, walking in her brightnes, 27 If mine heart did flatter me in secrete, or if my mouth did kisse mine hand, 28 (This also had bene an iniquitie to be condemned: for I had denied the God aboue) 29 If I reioyced at his destruction that hated me, or was mooued to ioye when euill came vpon him, 30 Neither haue I suffred my mouth to sinne, by wishing a curse vnto his soule. 31 Did not the men of my Tabernacle say, Who shall giue vs of his flesh? we can not bee satisfied. 32 The stranger did not lodge in the streete, but I opened my doores vnto him, that went by the way. 33 If I haue hid my sinne, as Adam, concealing mine iniquitie in my bosome, 34 Though I could haue made afraid a great multitude, yet the most contemptible of the families did feare me: so I kept silence, and went not out of the doore. 35 Oh that I had some to heare me! beholde my signe that the Almightie will witnesse for me: though mine aduersary should write a booke against me, 36 Woulde not I take it vpon my shoulder, and binde it as a crowne vnto me? 37 I will tell him the nomber of my goings, and goe vnto him as to a prince. 38 If my lande cry against me, or the furrowes thereof complayne together, 39 If I haue eaten the fruites thereof without siluer: or if I haue grieued the soules of the masters thereof, 40 Let thistles growe in steade of wheate, and cockle in the stead of Barley. The wordes of Iob are ended.