Through the Bible – Day 183

₁I promised myself

never to stare with desire

at a young woman.

₂God All-Powerful punishes

men who do that.

₃In fact, God sends disaster

on all who sin,

₄and he keeps a close watch

on everything I do.

₅I am not dishonest or deceitful,

₆and I beg God to prove

my innocence.

₇If I have disobeyed him

or even wanted to,

₈then others can eat my harvest

and uproot my crops.

₉If I have desired someone's wife

and chased after her,

₁₀then let some stranger

steal my wife from me.

₁₁If I took someone's wife,

it would be a horrible crime,

₁₂sending me to destruction

and my crops to the flames.

₁₃When my servants

complained against me,

I was fair to them.

₁₄Otherwise, what answer

would I give to God

when he judges me?

₁₅After all, God is the one

who gave life to each of us

before we were born.

₁₆I have never cheated widows

or others in need,

₁₇and I have always shared

my food with orphans.

₁₈Since the time I was young,

I have cared for orphans

and helped widows.

₁₉I provided clothes for the poor,

₂₀and I was praised

for supplying woollen garments

to keep them warm.

₂₁If I have ever raised my arm

to threaten an orphan

when the power was mine,

₂₂I hope that arm will fall

from its socket.

₂₃I could not have been abusive;

I was terrified at the thought

that God might punish me.

₂₄I have never trusted

the power of wealth,

₂₅or taken pride in owning

many possessions.

_26-27I have never openly or secretly

worshipped the sun or moon.

₂₈Such horrible sins

would have deserved

punishment from God.

₂₉I have never laughed

when my enemies

were struck by disaster.

₃₀Neither have I sinned

by asking God

to send down on them

the curse of death.

₃₁No one ever went hungry

at my house,

₃₂and travellers

were always welcome.

₃₃Many have attempted to hide

their sins from others—

but I refused.

₃₄And the fear of public disgrace

never forced me to keep silent

about what I had done.

₃₅Why doesn't God All-Powerful

listen and answer?

If God has something against me,

let him speak up

or put it in writing!

₃₆Then I would wear his charges

on my clothes and forehead.

₃₇And with my head held high,

I would tell him everything

I have ever done.

₃₈I have never ill-treated

the land I farmed

and made it mourn.

₃₉Nor have I cheated

my workers

and caused them pain.

₄₀If I had, I would pray

for weeds instead of wheat

to grow in my fields.

After saying these things,

Job was silent.

I am much younger than you,

so I have shown respect

by keeping silent.

₇I once believed age

was the source of wisdom;

₈now I truly realize

wisdom comes from God.

₉Age is no guarantee of wisdom

and understanding.

₁₀That's why I ask you

to listen to me.

_11-12I eagerly listened

to each of your arguments,

but not one of you proved

Job to be wrong.

₁₃You shouldn't say,

“We know what's right!

Let God punish him.”

₁₄Job hasn't spoken against me,

and so I won't answer him

with your arguments.

₁₅All of you are shocked;

you don't know what to say.

₁₆But am I to remain silent,

just because you

have stopped speaking?

₁₇No! I will give my opinion,

₁₈because I have so much to say,

that I can't keep quiet.

₁₉I am like a swollen wineskin,

and I will burst

₂₀if I don't speak.

_21-22I don't know how to be unfair

or to flatter anyone—

if I did, my Creator

would quickly destroy me!

₁Job, listen to me!

Pay close attention.

_2-3Everything I will say

is true and sincere,

₄just as surely as the Spirit

of God All-Powerful

gave me the breath of life.

₅Now line up your arguments

and prepare to face me.

₆We were each made from clay,

and God has no favourites,

₇so don't be afraid of me

or what I might do.

₈I have heard you argue

₉that you are innocent,

guilty of nothing.

₁₀You claim that God

has made you his enemy,

₁₁that he has bound your feet

and blocked your path.

₁₂But, Job, you're wrong—

God is greater

than any human.

₁₃So why do you challenge God

to answer you?

₁₄God speaks in different ways,

and we don't always

recognize his voice.

_15-16Sometimes in the night,

he uses terrifying dreams

to give us warnings.

₁₇God does this to make us turn

from sin and pride

₁₈and to protect us

from being swept away

to the world of the dead.

₁₉Sometimes we are punished

with a serious illness

and aching joints.

₂₀Merely the thought

of our favourite food

makes our stomachs sick,

₂₁and we become so skinny

that our bones stick out.

₂₂We feel death and the grave

taking us in their grip.

₂₃One of a thousand angels

then comes to our rescue

by saying we are innocent.

₂₄The angel shows kindness,

commanding death to release us,

because the price was paid.

₂₅Our health is restored,

we feel young again,

₂₆and we ask God to accept us.

Then we joyfully worship God,

and we are rewarded

because we are innocent.

₂₇When that happens,

we tell everyone,

“I sinned and did wrong,

but God forgave me

₂₈and rescued me from death!

Now I will see the light.”

₂₉God gives each of us

chance after chance

₃₀to be saved from death

and brought into the light

that gives life.

₃₁So, Job, pay attention

and don't interrupt,

₃₂though I would gladly listen

to anything you say

that proves you are right.

₃₃Otherwise, listen in silence

to my wisdom.