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