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.