- 1
- I made a couenant with mine eyes;
why then should I thinke vpon a mayd?
- 2
- For what portion of God is there from aboue?
and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
- 3
- Is not destruction to the wicked?
and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquitie?
- 4
- Doeth not he see my wayes, and count all my steps?
- 5
- If I haue walked with vanitie, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
- 6
- Let me bee weighed in an euen ballance, that God may know mine integritie.
- 7
- If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaued to my hands:
- 8
- Then let mee sow, and let another eate, yea let my off-spring be rooted out.
- 9
- If mine heart haue bene deceiued by a woman, or if I haue layde wait at my neighbours doore:
- 10
- Then let my wife grind vnto another, and let others bow downe vpon her.
- 11
- For this is an heinous crime, yea, it is an iniquitie to bee punished by the Iudges.
- 12
- For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would roote out all mine encrease.
- 13
- If I did despise the cause of my man-seruant, or of my mayd-seruant, when they contended with me:
- 14
- What then shall I do, when God riseth vp?
and when hee visiteth, what shall I answere him?
- 15
- Did not hee that made mee in the wombe, make him?
and did not one fashion vs in the wombe?
- 16
- If I haue withhelde the poore from their desire, or haue caused the eyes of the widow to faile:
- 17
- Or haue eaten my morsell my selfe alone, and the fatherlesse hath not eaten thereof:
- 18
- (For from my youth hee was brought vp with me as with a father, and I haue guided her from my mothers wombe.)
- 19
- If I haue seene any perish for want of cloathing, or any poore without couering:
- 20
- If his loynes haue not blessed me, and if hee were not warmed with the fleece of my sheepe:
- 21
- If I haue lift vp my hand against the fatherlesse, when I saw my helpe in the gate:
- 22
- Then let mine arme fall from my shoulder-blade, and mine arme be broken from the bone.
- 23
- For destruction from God was a terrour to mee: and by reason of his highnesse, I could not endure.
- 24
- If I haue made golde my hope, or haue said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence:
- 25
- If I reioyced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much:
- 26
- If I beheld the Sunne when it shined, or the Moone walking in brightnesse:
- 27
- And my heart hath bene secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:
- 28
- This also were an iniquitie to be punished by the Iudge: For I should haue denied the God that is aboue.
- 29
- If I reioyced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lift vp my selfe when euill found him:
- 30
- (Neither haue I suffered my mouth to sinne by wishing a curse to his soule.)
- 31
- If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh!
wee cannot be satisfied.
- 32
- The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doores to the trauailer.
- 33
- If I couered my transgressions, as Adam: by hiding mine iniquitie in my bosome:
- 34
- Did I feare a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrifie me: that I kept silence, and went not out of the doore?
- 35
- O that one would heare me!
beholde, my desire is, that the Almightie would answere me, and that mine aduersary had written a booke.
- 36
- Surely I would take it vpon my shoulder, and bind it as a crowne to me.
- 37
- I would declare vnto him the number of my steps, as a prince would I goe neere vnto him.
- 38
- If my land cry against me, or that the furrowes likewise thereof complaine:
- 39
- If I haue eaten the fruits thereof without money, or haue caused the owners thereof to loose their life:
- 40
- Let thistles grow in stead of wheat, and cockle in stead of barley.
The words of Iob are ended.
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