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Job 31 (CEV)

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¹ I promised myself never to stare with desire at a young woman. ² God All-Powerful punishes men who do that. ³ In fact, God sends disaster on all who sin, ⁴ and he keeps a close watch on everything I do. ⁵ I am not dishonest or deceitful, ⁶ and I beg God to prove my innocence. ⁷ If I have disobeyed him or even wanted to, ⁸ then others can eat my harvest and uproot my crops. ⁹ If I have desired someone's wife and chased after her, ¹⁰ then let some stranger steal my wife from me. ¹¹ If I took someone's wife, it would be a horrible crime, ¹² sending me to destruction and my crops to the flames. ¹³ When my servants complained against me, I was fair to them. ¹⁴ Otherwise, what answer would I give to God when he judges me? ¹⁵ After all, God is the one who gave life to each of us before we were born. ¹⁶ I have never cheated widows or others in need, ¹⁷ and I have always shared my food with orphans. ¹⁸ Since the time I was young, I have cared for orphans and helped widows. ¹⁹ I provided clothes for the poor, ²⁰ and I was praised for supplying woolen garments to keep them warm. ²¹ If I have ever raised my arm to threaten an orphan when the power was mine, ²² I hope that arm will fall from its socket. ²³ I could not have been abusive; I was terrified at the thought that God might punish me. ²⁴ I have never trusted the power of wealth, ²⁵ or taken pride in owning many possessions. ²⁶ I have never openly or secretly ²⁷ worshiped the sun or moon. ²⁸ Such horrible sins would have deserved punishment from God. ²⁹ I have never laughed when my enemies were struck by disaster. ³⁰ Neither have I sinned by asking God to send down on them the curse of death. ³¹ No one ever went hungry at my house, ³² and travelers were always welcome. ³³ Many have attempted to hide their sins from others-- but I refused. ³⁴ And the fear of public disgrace never forced me to keep silent about what I had done. ³⁵ Why doesn't God All-Powerful listen and answer? If God has something against me, let him speak up or put it in writing! ³⁶ Then I would wear his charges on my clothes and forehead. ³⁷ And with my head held high, I would tell him everything I have ever done. ³⁸ I have never mistreated the land I farmed and made it mourn. ³⁹ Nor have I cheated my workers and caused them pain. ⁴⁰ If I had, I would pray for weeds instead of wheat to grow in my fields. After saying these things, Job was silent.