Job 13
1 “Indeed, my eyes have seen all this; my ears have heard and understood.
“Behold, my eye has seen all, My ear has heard, and it attends to it.
2 What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.
According to your knowledge I have known—also I. I am not more fallen than you.
3 Yet I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God.
Yet I speak for the Mighty One, And I delight to argue for God.
4 You, however, smear with lies; you are all worthless physicians.
And yet, you [are] forgers of falsehood, Physicians of nothing—all of you,
5 If only you would remain silent; for that would be your wisdom!
O that you would keep perfectly silent, And it would be to you for wisdom.
6 Hear now my argument, and listen to the plea of my lips.
Please hear my argument, And attend to the pleadings of my lips,
7 Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf or speak deceitfully for Him?
Do you speak perverseness for God? And do you speak deceit for Him?
8 Would you show Him partiality or argue in His defense?
Do you accept His face, if you strive for God?
9 Would it be well when He examined you? Could you deceive Him like a man?
Is [it] good that He searches you, If, as one mocks at a man, you mock at Him?
10 Surely He would rebuke you if you secretly showed partiality.
He surely reproves you, if you accept faces in secret.
11 Would His majesty not terrify you? Would the dread of Him not fall upon you?
Does His excellence not terrify you? And His dread fall on you?
12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.
Your remembrances [are] allegories of ashes, For high places of clay [are] your heights.
13 Be silent, and I will speak. Then let come to me what may.
Keep silent from me, and I speak, And pass over me what will.
14 Why do I put myself at risk and take my life in my own hands?
Why do I take my flesh in my teeth? And my soul put in my hand?
15 Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways to His face.
Behold, He slays me—I do not wait! Only, I argue my ways to His face.
16 Moreover, this will be my salvation, for no godless man can appear before Him.
Also—He [is] to me for salvation, For the profane do not come before Him.
17 Listen carefully to my words; let my declaration ring in your ears.
Hear my word diligently, And my declaration with your ears.
18 Behold, now that I have prepared my case, I know that I will be vindicated.
Now behold, I have set the cause in order, I have known that I am righteous.
19 Can anyone indict me? If so, I will be silent and die.
Who [is] he that strives with me? For now I keep silent and gasp.
20 Only grant these two things to me, so that I need not hide from You:
Only two things, O God, do with me, Then I am not hidden from Your face:
21 Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me.
Put Your hand far off from me, And do not let Your terror terrify me.
22 Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and You can reply.
And You call, and I answer, Or—I speak, and You answer me.
23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Reveal to me my transgression and sin.
How many iniquities and sins do I have? Let me know my transgression and my sin.
24 Why do You hide Your face and consider me as Your enemy?
Why do You hide Your face? And reckon me for an enemy to You?
25 Would You frighten a windblown leaf? Would You chase after dry chaff?
Do You terrify a leaf driven away? And do You pursue the dry stubble?
26 For You record bitter accusations against me and bequeath to me the iniquities of my youth.
For You write bitter things against me, And cause me to possess 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 you put my feet in the stocks, And observe all my paths—You set a print on the roots of my feet,
28 So man wastes away like something rotten, like a moth-eaten garment.
And he, as a rotten thing, wears away, A moth has consumed him as a garment.”
