Job 31 - Prayer Tents

Job’s Final Protest of Innocence

31"I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman.H3772H1285H5869H995H1330 2For what has God above chosen for us? What is our inheritance from the Almighty on high?H2506H433H4605H5159H7706H4791 3Isn't it calamity for the wicked and misfortune for those who do evil?H343H5767H5235H6466H205 4Doesn't he see everything I do and every step I take?H7200H1870H5608H6806 5"Have I lied to anyone or deceived anyone?H1980H7723H7272H2363H4820 6Let God weigh me on the scales of justice, for he knows my integrity.H8254H6664H3976H433H3045H8538 7If I have strayed from his pathway, or if my heart has lusted for what my eyes have seen, or if I am guilty of any other sin,H838H5186H1870H3820H1980H310H5869H3971H1692H3709 8then let someone else eat the crops I have planted. Let all that I have planted be uprooted.H2232H312H398H6631H8327 9"If my heart has been seduced by a woman, or if I have lusted for my neighbor's wife,H3820H6601H802H693H7453H6607 10then let my wife belong to another man; let other men sleep with her.H802H2912H312H312H3766 11For lust is a shameful sin, a crime that should be punished.H2154H5771H6414 12It is a fire that burns all the way to hell. It would wipe out everything I own.H784H398H11H8327H8393 13"If I have been unfair to my male or female servants when they brought their complaints to me,H3988H4941H5650H519H7379 14how could I face God? What could I say when he questioned me?H6213H410H6965H6485H7725 15For God created both me and my servants. He created us both in the womb.H6213H990H6213H259H3559H7358 16"Have I refused to help the poor, or crushed the hopes of widows?H4513H1800H2656H5869H490H3615 17Have I been stingy with my food and refused to share it with orphans?H398H6595H3490H398 18No, from childhood I have cared for orphans like a father, and all my life I have cared for widows.H5271H1431H1H5148H517H990 19Whenever I saw the homeless without clothes and the needy with nothing to wear,H7200H6H3830H34H3682 20did they not praise me for providing wool clothing to keep them warm?H2504H1288H2552H1488H3532 21"If I raised my hand against an orphan, knowing the judges would take my side,H5130H3027H3490H7200H5833H8179 22then let my shoulder be wrenched out of place! Let my arm be torn from its socket!H3802H5307H7929H248H7665H7070 23That would be better than facing God's judgment. For if the majesty of God opposes me, what hope is there?H343H410H6343H7613H3201 24"Have I put my trust in money or felt secure because of my gold?H7760H2091H3689H559H3800H4009 25Have I gloated about my wealth and all that I own?H8055H2428H7227H3027H4672H3524 26"Have I looked at the sun shining in the skies, or the moon walking down its silver pathway,H7200H216H1984H3394H1980H3368 27and been secretly enticed in my heart to throw kisses at them in worship?H3820H5643H6601H6310H5401H3027 28If so, I should be punished by the judges, for it would mean I had denied the God of heaven.H5771H6416H3584H410H4605 29"Have I ever rejoiced when disaster struck my enemies, or become excited when harm came their way?H8055H6365H8130H5782H7451H4672 30No, I have never sinned by cursing anyone or by asking for revenge.H5414H2441H2398H7592H423H5315 31"My servants have never said, 'He let others go hungry.'H4962H168H559H5414H1320H7646 32I have never turned away a stranger but have opened my doors to everyone.H1616H3885H2351H6605H1817H734 33"Have I tried to hide my sins like other people do, concealing my guilt in my heart?H3680H6588H121H2934H5771H2243 34Have I feared the crowd or the contempt of the masses, so that I kept quiet and stayed indoors?H6206H7227H1995H937H4940H2865H1826H3318H6607 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.H5414H8085H8420H7706H6030H376H7379H3789H5612 36I would face the accusation proudly. I would wear it like a crown.H5375H7926H6029H5850 37For I would tell him exactly what I have done. I would come before him like a prince.H5046H4557H6806H5057H7126 38"If my land accuses me and all its furrows cry out together,H127H2199H8525H3162H1058 39or if I have stolen its crops or murdered its owners,H398H3581H3701H1167H5301H5315 40then let thistles grow on that land instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley." Job's words are ended.H2336H3318H2406H890H8184H1697H347H8552