⁸ the young men saw me and stepped aside^(A)
    and the old men rose to their feet;^(B)
9 the chief men refrained from speaking^(C)
    and covered their mouths with their hands;^(D)
10 the voices of the nobles were hushed,^(E)
    and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.^(F)
11 Whoever heard me spoke well of me,
    and those who saw me commended me,^(G)
12 because I rescued the poor^(H) who cried for help,
    and the fatherless^(I) who had none to assist them.^(J)
13 The one who was dying blessed me;^(K)
    I made the widow’s^(L) heart sing.
¹⁴ I put on righteousness^(M) as my clothing;
    justice was my robe and my turban.^(N)
15 I was eyes^(O) to the blind
    and feet to the lame.^(P)
16 I was a father to the needy;^(Q)
    I took up the case^(R) of the stranger.^(S)
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked
    and snatched the victims^(T) from their teeth.^(U)

31 “I made a covenant with my eyes^(A)
    not to look lustfully at a young woman.^(B)
2 For what is our lot^(C) from God above,
    our heritage from the Almighty on high?^(D)
3 Is it not ruin^(E) for the wicked,
    disaster^(F) for those who do wrong?^(G)
4 Does he not see my ways^(H)
    and count my every step?^(I)

⁵ “If I have walked with falsehood
    or my foot has hurried after deceit^(J)—
⁶ let God weigh me^(K) in honest scales^(L)
    and he will know that I am blameless^(M)—
⁷ if my steps have turned from the path,^(N)
    if my heart has been led by my eyes,
    or if my hands^(O) have been defiled,^(P)
8 then may others eat what I have sown,^(Q)
    and may my crops be uprooted.^(R)

⁹ “If my heart has been enticed^(S) by a woman,^(T)
    or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,
¹⁰ then may my wife grind^(U) another man’s grain,
    and may other men sleep with her.^(V)
11 For that would have been wicked,^(W)
    a sin to be judged.^(X)
12 It is a fire^(Y) that burns to Destruction^[a];^(Z)
    it would have uprooted my harvest.^(AA)

¹³ “If I have denied justice to any of my servants,^(AB)
    whether male or female,
    when they had a grievance against me,^(AC)
14 what will I do when God confronts me?^(AD)
    What will I answer when called to account?^(AE)
15 Did not he who made me in the womb make them?^(AF)
    Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?^(AG)

¹⁶ “If I have denied the desires of the poor^(AH)
    or let the eyes of the widow^(AI) grow weary,^(AJ)
17 if I have kept my bread to myself,
    not sharing it with the fatherless^(AK)—
¹⁸ but from my youth I reared them as a father would,
    and from my birth I guided the widow^(AL)—
¹⁹ if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing,^(AM)
    or the needy^(AN) without garments,
²⁰ and their hearts did not bless me^(AO)
    for warming them with the fleece^(AP) from my sheep,
²¹ if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,^(AQ)
    knowing that I had influence in court,^(AR)
22 then let my arm fall from the shoulder,
    let it be broken off at the joint.^(AS)
23 For I dreaded destruction from God,^(AT)
    and for fear of his splendor^(AU) I could not do such things.^(AV)