1“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman. 2For what is our lot from God above? Or our heritage of the Almighty on high? 3Is it not destruction to the wicked, and a punishment to the workers of iniquity? 4Does He not see my ways, and count all my steps?

5“If I have walked with vanity, or if I have pursued deceit, 6Let God weigh me on the scales of justice, that He may know my integrity. 7If my steps have strayed from His way, and my heart has lusted for what my eyes have seen, and if any blot has stuck to my hands, 8Then let me sow, and let another reap and eat; yea, let my crops be uprooted.

9“If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door; 10Then let my wife serve another man, and let others sleep with her; 11For this is a heinous crime; yes, it is a sin to be punished by the judges. 12For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would destroy all my prosperity.

13“If I have denied the cause of my servants, when they brought a grievance before me, 14What then shall I do when God rises to judge me? And when He confronts me, how shall I answer Him? 15Did He Who made me in the womb not make him (my fellow man)? And did not the same One fashion both of us in the womb?

16If I have denied the desire of the poor, or have crushed the hopes of the widow, 17Or have been stingy with my food, and refused to share with the fatherless (orphan) 18(For from my youth I have acted as a father to the fatherless; and I have guided her (the widow) from my early days);

19“If I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or any needing a cloak; 20If they have not blessed me, and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21“If I have raised my hand against an orphan, when I knew that judges in the gate would back me: 22Then let my arm fall from my shoulder blade, and be broken off from the joint. 23That would be better than facing God’s indictment; for if I had to face Him and His righteousness, I would never survive.

24“If I have put my trust in gold, or have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence’; 25If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because I had gained much; 26If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon in its splendor; 27And my heart has been secretly enticed, or my mouth has kissed my hand in reverence to them, 28Then this also would be a sin to be punished by the Judge; for I would have denied the God Who is above.

29“Have I rejoiced at the destruction of my enemy, or exulted (in malicious triumph) when evil overtook him? 30No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by cursing my enemy and asking for his life. 31I assure you, the men of my tent have said, ‘Who can find someone (in need) who has not been satisfied with his (Job’s) food’? 32The stranger has not had to lodge in the street, because I have opened my door to the traveler. 33Have I concealed my transgressions like Adam or like other men, by hiding my wickedness in my bosom, 34Because I feared the crowd, or the contempt of families worried me, such that I kept quiet and would not admit my sin or even go out of the door?

35“Oh, that someone would hear me! Look, here is my signed defense. My desire is that the Almighty would answer me, and that my accuser (one of Job’s ‘comforters’) would put his indictment in writing. 36Surely, I would face the accusation proudly; I would wear it like a crown. 37I would give Him an account of all my steps; I would come before Him like a prince.

38“If my land cries out against me, and all its furrows are wet with tears; 39If I have eaten its fruits without compensating its owners or tenants, 40Then let thistles grow instead of wheat, and foul weeds instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.”