9-12. “If I’ve let myself be seduced by a womanand conspired to go to bed with her,Fine, my wife has every right to go aheadand sleep with anyone she wants to.For disgusting behavior like that,I’d deserve the worst punishment you could hand out.Adultery is a fire that burns the house down;I wouldn’t expect anything I count dear to survive it.
13-15. “Have I ever been unfair to my employeeswhen they brought a complaint to me?What, then, will I do when God confronts me?When God examines my books, what can I say?Didn’t the same God who made me, make them?Aren’t we all made of the same stuff, equals before God?
16-18. “Have I ignored the needs of the poor,turned my back on the indigent,Taken care of my own needs and fed my own facewhile they languished?Wasn’t my home always open to them?Weren’t they always welcome at my table?
19-20. “Have I ever left a poor family shivering in the coldwhen they had no warm clothes?Didn’t the poor bless me when they saw me coming,knowing I’d brought coats from my closet?
21-23. “If I’ve ever used my strength and influenceto take advantage of the unfortunate,Go ahead, break both my arms,cut off all my fingers!The fear of God has kept me from these things—how else could I ever face him?
24-28. “Did I set my heart on making big moneyor worship at the bank?Did I boast about my wealth,show off because I was well-off?Was I ever so awed by the sun’s brillianceand moved by the moon’s beautyThat I let myself become seduced by themand worshiped them on the sly?If so, I would deserve the worst of punishments,for I would be betraying God himself.