Job 31:13-40

13“If I have despised and rejected the claim of my male or female servants When they filed a complaint against me,

14What then could I do when God arises [to judge me]? When He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?

15Did not He who made me in the womb make my servant, And did not the same One fashion us both in the womb?

16“If I have withheld from the poor what they desired, Or have caused the eyes of the widow to look in vain [for relief],

17Or have eaten my morsel [of food] alone, And did not share it with the orphan

18(But from my youth the orphan grew up with me as with a father, And from my mother’s womb I have been the widow’s guide),

19If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, Or any poor person without covering,

20If his loins have not thanked and blessed me [for clothing them], And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

21If I have lifted my hand against the orphan, Because I saw [that the judges would be] my help at the [council] gate,

22Then let my shoulder fall away from its socket, And my arm be broken off at the elbow.

23For tragedy from God is a terror to me, And because of His majesty and exaltation I can do nothing [nor endure facing Him].

24“If I have put my trust and confidence in gold, Or have declared fine gold my hope and assurance,

25If I gloated and rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my [powerful] hand [alone] had obtained so much,

26If I beheld the sun [as an object of worship] when it shone Or the moon going in its splendor,

27And my heart became secretly enticed [by them], And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth [in respect to them],

28This also would have been [a heinous] sin calling for judgment, For I would have denied God above.

29“Have I rejoiced at the destruction of the enemy [who hated me], 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 one [in need] who has not been satisfied with his meat’?

32The stranger has not lodged 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 great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence and did not acknowledge my sin and did not go out of the door?

35Oh, that I had one to listen to me! Look, here is my signature (mark); Let the Almighty answer me! Let my adversary write out His indictment [and put His vague accusations in tangible form].

36Surely I would [proudly] bear it on my shoulder, And bind the scroll around my head like a crown.

37I would count out to Him the number of my steps [with every detail of my life], Approaching His presence as if I were a prince.

38“For if my land has cried out against me, And its furrows weep together;

39If I have eaten its fruits without paying for them, Or have caused its [rightful] owners to lose their lives,

40Let thorns grow instead of wheat, And stinkweed and cockleburs instead of barley.” So the words of Job [with his friends] are finished.