6 

Let God take scales of justice to my life,

and he would own that I am innocent!

5 

If ever I lived a false life,

if ever I took to fraud,

7 

if ever I went wrong,

if my heart ever followed my eyes,

8 

may others eat up what I sow,

and may my crops be rooted up!

31 

I laid an interdict upon my eyes,

never to look with longing on a maiden.

2 

What would I get from the High God for that?

What would the Almighty send on me for that?

3 

What but the suffering that falls to sinners,

the ruin that rewards the vicious?

4 

Does he not see whate’er I do,

and count each step I take?

9 

If ever my heart was enticed by women,

if ever I haunted my neighbour’s door,

10 

may my own wife be a slave to strangers,

a concubine for other men!

11 

Adultery would be an infamous offence,

a crime that calls for punishment;

12 

it is a fire that burns life to a cinder,

it would burn up whatever I possess.

13 

If ever I ignored the rightful claim

of any servant, man or woman,

14 

what could I do when God rose up?

If he took me to task, what could I say?

23 

No, I feared suffering at the hands of God;

I could not do it, in my dread of him.

15 

Did not my Maker make my servant too,

and form us both alike within the womb?

16 

I never grudged a poor man anything,

I never let a widow pine in want;

17 

I never ate my bite of food alone

and did not share it with the fatherless.

18 

For, like a father, God has brought me up,

caring for me since ever I was bom.

19 

If ever I saw any perishing

for lack of clothing, naked in their need,

20 

and did not warm them with my fleeces,

till they blessed me for covering them;

21 

if ever I sued unoffending men,

because I knew the verdict would be mine;

22 

then may my shoulder drop from its socket,

my arm snap from the collarbone!

38 

If ever my land accused me,

if the furrows all complained with tears,

39 

that I paid not for the fields I worked,

or murdered those who owned the land,

40 

may thorns grow up instead of wheat,

foul weeds for barley!

24 

If ever I relied on gold,

or rested everything on solid gold,

25 

if I rejoiced because my wealth was great,

because my hands had gathered riches;

26 

if I looked on the shining sun

or on the moon that moved in splendour,

27 

and let my heart go out to them,

wafting a kiss to them,

28 

that also would be a crime for punishment,

for I should have denied the God on high.

29 

If ever I rejoiced at my foe’s ruin,

or exulted when evil befell him,

30 

or practised the sweet sin of cursing him

and praying for his death;

31 

if my household did not say,

‘Who is not satisfied with his provision?’

32 

(for never a stranger had to sleep in the streets--

I opened my door to the traveller);

33 

if ever I concealed my sin from men,

covering up my guilt,

34 

if ever I kept quiet within doors,

afraid of what the crowd would say,

dreading public opinion--

35 

well, here I enter my own plea of innocence.

Oh for a hearing!

Oh for an answer from the Almighty!

Would that I had his indictment,

whatever my Opponent has against me!

36 

Proud would I be to bear it on my shoulder,

to bind it like a crown upon my head,

37 

entering his presence like a prince,

and telling every detail of my life.”