9. But maybe you sent widows away without giving them anything. And maybe you took advantage of orphans.
10. That is why traps are all around you, and sudden trouble makes you afraid.
11. That is why it is so dark you cannot see, and why a flood of water covers you.
12. “God lives in the highest part of heaven and looks down on the highest stars.
13. But you might say, ‘What does God know? Can he see through the dark clouds to judge us?
14. Thick clouds hide us from his eyes, so he cannot see us as he walks around the edge of the sky.’
15. “Job, you are walking on the old path that evil people walked on long ago.
16. They were destroyed before it was their time to die. They were washed away by the flood.
17. They told God, ‘Leave us alone!’ and said, ‘God All-Powerful cannot do anything to us!’
18. And it was God who filled their houses with good things. No, I would never follow the advice of evil people.
19. Those who do what is right are happy to see them destroyed. The innocent laugh at them and say,
20. ‘Surely our enemies are destroyed! Their wealth burned up in the fire!’
21. “Now, Job, give yourself to God and make peace with him. Do this, and you will get many good things.
22. Accept his teaching. Pay attention to what he says.
23. If you return to God All-Powerful, you will be restored. But remove the evil from your house.
24. Think of your gold as nothing but dirt. Think of your finest gold as rocks from a stream.