31 “I made an agreement with my eyes.

I promised not to look at another woman with sexual longing.

2 What do human beings receive from God above?

What do they 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 longed for 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 door.

10 Then may my wife grind another man’s grain.

May other men have sex with her.

11 Wanting another woman would have been a shameful 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 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 any clothes.

I’ve seen needy people

who had nothing to wear.

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 of its glory.

I’ve bowed down to the moon in all of its beauty.

27 My heart has been secretly tempted.

My hand has thrown kisses to the sun and moon.

28 Then those 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 calling down curses on 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 others 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 approach him like a prince.

38 “Suppose my land cries out against me.

And all of 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 weeds come up instead of barley.”

The words of Job end here.