Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.

Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.”

And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man’s hand.

“You have not wronged us or oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken anything from the hand of man.”

Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means that you are thoroughly defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?

Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.

Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one.

Many therefore have refused to lend for other men’s ill dealing, fearing to be defrauded.