Job 31:1-40 NIrV

[1] “I made an agreement with my eyes. I promised not to look at a young woman with impure thoughts. [2] What do we receive from God above? What do we get from the Mighty One in heaven? [3] Sinful people are destroyed. Trouble comes to those who do what is wrong. [4] Doesn’t God see how I live? Doesn’t he count every step I take? [5] “I haven’t told any lies. My feet haven’t hurried to cheat others. [6] So let God weigh me in honest scales. Then he’ll know I haven’t done anything wrong. [7] Suppose my steps have turned away from the right path. Suppose my heart has wanted what my eyes have seen. Or suppose my hands have become ‘unclean.’ [8] Then may others eat what I’ve planted. May my crops be pulled up by the roots. [9] “Suppose my heart has been tempted by a woman. Or suppose I’ve prowled around my neighbor’s home. [10] Then may my wife grind another man’s grain. May other men sleep with her. [11] Wanting another woman would have been an evil thing. It would have been a sin that should be judged. [12] It’s like a fire that burns down to the grave. It would have caused my crops to be pulled up by the roots. [13] “Suppose I haven’t treated any of my male and female servants fairly when they’ve brought charges against me. [14] Then what will I do when God opposes me? What answer will I give him when he asks me to explain myself? [15] Didn’t he who made me make my servants also? Didn’t the same God form us inside our mothers? [16] “I haven’t said no to what poor people have wanted. I haven’t let widows lose their hope. [17] I haven’t kept my bread to myself. I’ve shared it with children whose fathers had died. [18] From the time I was young, I’ve helped those widows. I’ve raised those children as a father would. [19] Suppose I’ve seen people dying because they didn’t have enough clothes. I’ve seen needy people who didn’t have enough to keep warm. [20] And they didn’t give me their blessing when I warmed them with wool from my sheep. [21] Suppose I’ve raised my hand against children whose fathers have died. And I did it because I knew I had power in the courts. [22] Then let my arm fall from my shoulder. Let it be broken off at the joint. [23] I was afraid God would destroy me. His glory terrifies me. So I’d never do things like that. [24] “Suppose I’ve put my trust in gold. I’ve said to pure gold, ‘You make me feel secure.’ [25] And I’m happy because I’m so wealthy. I’m glad because my hands have earned so much. [26] Suppose I’ve worshiped the sun in all its glory. I’ve bowed down to the moon in all its beauty. [27] My heart has been secretly tempted. My hand has thrown kisses to the sun and moon. [28] Then these things would have been sins that should be judged. And I wouldn’t have been faithful to God in heaven. [29] “I wasn’t happy when hard times came to my enemies. I didn’t enjoy seeing the trouble they had. [30] I didn’t allow my mouth to sin by asking for bad things to happen to them. [31] The workers in my house always said, ‘Job always gives plenty of food to everyone.’ [32] No stranger ever had to spend the night in the street. My door was always open to travelers. [33] I didn’t hide my sin as other people do. I didn’t hide my guilt in my heart. [34] I was never afraid of the crowd. I never worried that my relatives might hate me. I didn’t have to keep quiet or stay inside. [35] “I wish someone would listen to me! I’m signing my name to everything I’ve said. I hope the Mighty One will give me his answer. I hope the one who brings charges against me will write them down. [36] I’ll wear them on my shoulder. I’ll put them on my head like a crown. [37] I’ll give that person a report of every step I take. I’ll present it to him like I would to a ruler. [38] “Suppose my land cries out against me. And all its soil is wet with tears. [39] Suppose I’ve used up its crops without paying for them. Or I’ve broken the spirit of its renters. [40] Then let thorns grow instead of wheat. Let stinkweed come up instead of barley.” The words of Job end here.