Job 31:24-40

New Living Translation

²⁴ “Have I put my trust in money
    or felt secure because of my gold?
²⁵ Have I gloated about my wealth
    and all that I own?

²⁶ “Have I looked at the sun shining in the skies,
    or the moon walking down its silver pathway,
²⁷ and been secretly enticed in my heart
    to throw kisses at them in worship?
²⁸ If so, I should be punished by the judges,
    for it would mean I had denied the God of heaven.

²⁹ “Have I ever rejoiced when disaster struck my enemies,
    or become excited when harm came their way?
³⁰ No, I have never sinned by cursing anyone
    or by asking for revenge.

³¹ “My servants have never said,
    ‘He let others go hungry.’
³² I have never turned away a stranger
    but have opened my doors to everyone.

³³ “Have I tried to hide my sins like other people do,
    concealing my guilt in my heart?
³⁴ Have I feared the crowd
    or the contempt of the masses,
    so that I kept quiet and stayed indoors?

³⁵ “If only someone would listen to me!
    Look, I will sign my name to my defense.
Let the Almighty answer me.
    Let my accuser write out the charges against me.
³⁶ I would face the accusation proudly.
    I would wear it like a crown.
³⁷ For I would tell him exactly what I have done.
    I would come before him like a prince.

³⁸ “If my land accuses me
    and all its furrows cry out together,
³⁹ or if I have stolen its crops
    or murdered its owners,
⁴⁰ then let thistles grow on that land instead of wheat,
    and weeds instead of barley.”