< Job 13 >
1 “Indeed, my eyes have seen all this; my ears have heard and understood.
Lo, all — hath mine eye seen, Heard hath mine ear, and it attendeth 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 fallen more than you.
3 Yet I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God.
Yet I for the Mighty One do speak, And to argue for God I delight.
4 You, however, smear with lies; you are all worthless physicians.
And yet, ye [are] forgers of falsehood, Physicians of nought — all of you,
5 If only you would remain silent; for that would be your wisdom!
O that ye 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.
Hear, I pray you, my argument, And to the pleadings of my lips attend,
7 Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf or speak deceitfully for Him?
For God do ye speak perverseness? And for Him do ye speak deceit?
8 Would you show Him partiality or argue in His defense?
His face do ye accept, if for God ye strive?
9 Would it be well when He examined you? Could you deceive Him like a man?
Is [it] good that He doth search you, If, as one mocketh at a man, ye mock at Him?
10 Surely He would rebuke you if you secretly showed partiality.
He doth surely reprove you, if in secret ye accept faces.
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.
Your remembrances [are] similes of ashes, For high places of clay 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 doth what?
14 Why do I put myself at risk and take my life in my own hands?
Wherefore 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.
Lo, He doth slay me — I wait not! Only, my ways unto His face I argue.
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 cometh not before Him.
17 Listen carefully to my words; let my declaration ring in your ears.
Hear ye diligently my word, And my declaration with your ears.
18 Behold, now that I have prepared my case, I know that I will be vindicated.
Lo, I pray you, I have set in order the cause, I have known that I am righteous.
19 Can anyone indict me? If so, I will be silent and die.
Who [is] he that doth strive 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 from Thy face I am not hidden.
21 Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me.
Thy hand put far off from me, And Thy terror let not terrify me.
22 Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and You can reply.
And call Thou, and I — I answer, Or — I speak, and answer Thou me.
23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Reveal to me my transgression and sin.
How many iniquities and sins have I? My transgression and my sin let me know.
24 Why do You hide Your face and consider me as Your enemy?
Why dost Thou hide Thy face? And reckonest me for an enemy to Thee?
25 Would You frighten a windblown leaf? Would You chase after dry chaff?
A leaf driven away dost Thou terrify? And the dry stubble dost Thou pursue?
26 For You record bitter accusations against me and bequeath to me the iniquities of my youth.
For Thou writest against me bitter things, And causest 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 puttest in the stocks my feet, And observest all my paths, On the roots of my feet Thou settest a print,
28 So man wastes away like something rotten, like a moth-eaten garment.
And he, as a rotten thing, weareth away, As a garment hath a moth consumed him.