Job

¹ How then could I gaze at a virgin?

² Or the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

³ And misfortune to those who work iniquity?

⁴ And number all my steps?

⁵ And my foot has hastened after deceit,

⁶ And let God know my integrity.

⁷ Or my heart followed my eyes, Or if any spot has stuck to my hands,

⁸ And let my crops be uprooted.

⁹ Or I have lied in wait at my neighbor’s doorway,

¹⁰ And let others kneel down over her.

¹¹ Moreover, it would be an iniquity punishable by judges.

¹² And would uproot all my produce.

¹³ When they filed a complaint against me,

¹⁴ And when He calls me to account, with what will I respond to Him?

¹⁵ And the same one fashion us in the womb?

¹⁶ Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

¹⁷ And the orphan has not eaten from it

¹⁸ And from the womb of my mother I guided her),

¹⁹ Or that the needy had no covering,

²⁰ And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

²¹ Because I saw my help in the gate,

²² And my arm be broken off at the elbow.

²³ And because of His exaltedness I can do nothing.

²⁴ And called fine gold my trust,

²⁵ And because my hand had found so much,

²⁶ Or the moon going in splendor,

²⁷ And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,

²⁸ For I would have denied God above.

²⁹ Or exulted when evil found him—

³⁰ By asking for his life in a curse—

³¹ ‘Who can find one who has not been satisfied with his meat’—

³² For I have opened my doors to the traveler—

³³ By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

³⁴ And the contempt of families terrified me, And I kept silent and did not go out of doors—

³⁵ Behold, here is my signature; Let the Almighty answer me! And the indictment which my accuser has written,

³⁶ I would bind it to myself like a crown.

³⁷ Like a prince I would approach Him—

³⁸ And its furrows weep together,

³⁹ Or have caused its owners to lose their lives,

⁴⁰ And stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.