Job 13
1 “Indeed, my eyes have seen all this; my ears have heard and understood.
Lo, all [this] hath my eye seen, my ear hath heard and noted it for itself;
2 What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.
As much as ye know, do I also know: I do not fall short compared with you.
3 Yet I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God.
However, I would gladly speak to the Almighty; and to argue with God do I desire.
4 You, however, smear with lies; you are all worthless physicians.
But ye are inventors of falsehood, physicians of no value are all of you.
5 If only you would remain silent; for that would be your wisdom!
Oh, who would grant that ye might keep a profound silences! and it would he accounted unto you as wisdom.
6 Hear now my argument, and listen to the plea of my lips.
Do hearken but to my reasoning, and listen to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf or speak deceitfully for Him?
Will ye speak wrong things for God? and will ye speak for him deceitfully?
8 Would you show Him partiality or argue in His defense?
Will ye show him undue favor, when ye contend for God?
9 Would it be well when He examined you? Could you deceive Him like a man?
Will it be well if he should search you out? or as one overreacheth another mortal, do ye expect to overreach him?
10 Surely He would rebuke you if you secretly showed partiality.
He will surely reprove you, if in secret you show him undue favor.
11 Would His majesty not terrify you? Would the dread of Him not fall upon you?
Doth not his excellency terrify you? and his dread fall upon you?
12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.
The things you remember are mere proverbs of ashes, your high-places are high-places of clay.
13 Be silent, and I will speak. Then let come to me what may.
Keep silence toward me, that I may indeed speak, and let pass over me what will.
14 Why do I put myself at risk and take my life in my own hands?
Whatever it may cost, I will take my flesh in my teeth, and my life will I put in my hand.
15 Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways to His face.
Lo, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: only I will argue my own ways before him.
16 Moreover, this will be my salvation, for no godless man can appear before Him.
Even he will come to my assistance; for a hypocrite cannot come before him.
17 Listen carefully to my words; let my declaration ring in your ears.
Listen well to my word, and to my demonstration with your ears.
18 Behold, now that I have prepared my case, I know that I will be vindicated.
Behold now, I have arrayed my cause: I know that I shall be indeed justified.
19 Can anyone indict me? If so, I will be silent and die.
Who is he that will contend with me? for now, if I keep silence, I must perish.
20 Only grant these two things to me, so that I need not hide from You:
Only two things do not unto me: then will I not hide myself from thy presence.
21 Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me.
Remove thy hand far from me; and let not thy dread terrify me.
22 Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and You can reply.
Then call thou, and I will answer; or let me speak, and do thou reply to me.
23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Reveal to me my transgression and sin.
How many are my iniquities and sins? my transgression and my sin let me know.
24 Why do You hide Your face and consider me as Your enemy?
Wherefore wilt thou hide thy face, and regard me as an enemy unto thee?
25 Would You frighten a windblown leaf? Would You chase after dry chaff?
Wilt thou terrify a leaf driven about [by the wind]? and wilt thou pursue dry stubble?
26 For You record bitter accusations against me and bequeath to me the iniquities of my youth.
That thou writest bitter decrees against me, and assignest unto me the iniquities of my youth;
27 You put my feet in the stocks and stand watch over all my paths; You set a limit for the soles of my feet.
And [that] thou puttest my feet in the stocks, and watchest narrowly all my paths; [and] settest for thyself a mark upon the soles of my feet?
28 So man wastes away like something rotten, like a moth-eaten garment.
And yet the body decayeth like a rotten thing, as a garment that the moth hath eaten.
