I made a covenant with mine eyes; How then should I look upon a virgin?
2
For what is the portion from God above, And the heritage from the Almighty on high?
3
Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, And disaster to the workers of iniquity?
4
Doth not he see my ways, And number all my steps?
5
If I have walked with falsehood, And my foot hath hasted to deceit
6
(Let me be weighed in an even balance, That God may know mine integrity);
7
If my step hath turned out of the way, And my heart walked after mine eyes, And if any spot hath cleaved to my hands:
8
Then let me sow, and let another eat; Yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out.
9
If my heart hath been enticed unto a woman, And I have laid wait at my neighbor's door;
10
Then let my wife grind unto another, And let others bow down upon her.
11
For that were a heinous crime; Yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges:
12
For it is a fire that consumeth unto Destruction, And would root out all mine increase.
13
If I have despised the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant, When they contended with me;
14
What then shall I do when God riseth up? And when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
15
Did not he that made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?
16
If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire, Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17
Or have eaten my morsel alone, And the fatherless hath not eaten thereof
18
(Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, And her have I guided from my mother's womb);
19
If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, Or that the needy had no covering;
20
If his loins have not blessed me, And if he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21
If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, Because I saw my help in the gate:
22
Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, And mine arm be broken from the bone.
23
For calamity from God is a terror to me, And by reason of his majesty I can do nothing.
24
If I have made gold my hope, And have said to the fine gold, [Thou art] my confidence;
25
If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gotten much;
26
If I have beheld the sun when it shined, Or the moon walking in brightness,
27
And my heart hath been secretly enticed, And my mouth hath kissed my hand:
28
This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; For I should have denied the God that is above.
29
If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, Or lifted up myself when evil found him;
30
(Yea, I have not suffered by mouth to sin By asking his life with a curse);
31
If the men of my tent have not said, Who can find one that hath not been filled with his meat?
32
(The sojourner hath not lodged in the street; But I have opened my doors to the traveller);
33
If like Adam I have covered my transgressions, By hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,
34
Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence, and went not out of the door–
35
Oh that I had one to hear me! (Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me); And [that I had] the indictment which mine adversary hath written!
36
Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown:
37
I would declare unto him the number of my steps; As a prince would I go near unto him.
38
If my land crieth out against me, And the furrows thereof weep together;
39
If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, Or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:
40
Let thistles grow instead of wheat, And cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
1 [A Psalm for Solomon.] Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
2 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.
8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.
14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.
16 There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
17 His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.
18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.
19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
