15. The one who made me in my mother’s womb also made them. God shaped us all inside our mothers.
16. “I have never refused to help the poor. I always gave widows what they needed.
17. I have never been selfish with my food. I shared what I had with orphans.
18. All my life I have been like a father to orphans and have taken care of widows.
19. Whenever I found people suffering because they didn’t have clothes or saw a poor man with no coat,
20. I always gave them something to wear. I used the wool from my own sheep to make them warm. And they thanked me with all their heart.
21. I never threatened an orphan, even when I knew I had support in court.
22. If I ever did that, may my arm be pulled from its socket and fall from my shoulder!
23. But I didn’t do any of these bad things. I fear God’s punishment too much. His majesty scares me.
24. “I have never trusted in riches. I never said even to pure gold, ‘You are my hope.’
25. I have been wealthy, but that didn’t make me proud. I earned a lot of money, but that is not what made me happy.
26. I have never worshiped the bright sun or the beautiful moon.
27. I was never foolish enough to worship the sun and the moon.