Job 13
1 Behold, my eye has seen all these things, and my ear has heard, and I have understood each one.
“Behold, my eye has seen all, My ear has heard, and it attends to it.
2 In conformity with your knowledge, 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 speak this way to the Almighty, and I desire to argue with God,
Yet I speak for the Mighty One, And I delight to argue for God.
4 having first shown that you fabricate lies and cultivate perverse teachings.
And yet, you [are] forgers of falsehood, Physicians of nothing—all of you,
5 And I wish that you would remain silent, so that you would be counted among the wise.
O that you would keep perfectly silent, And it would be to you for wisdom.
6 Therefore, listen to my correction, and pay attention to the judgment of my lips.
Please hear my argument, And attend to the pleadings of my lips,
7 Does God require your lie, so that you would speak deceitfully for him?
Do you speak perverseness for God? And do you speak deceit for Him?
8 Have you taken his place, and do you struggle to give judgment in favor of God?
Do you accept His face, if you strive for God?
9 Or, will it please him, from whom nothing can be concealed? Or, will he be deceived, like a man, by your deceitfulness?
Is [it] good that He searches you, If, as one mocks at a man, you mock at Him?
10 He will accuse you because in secret you have preempted his presence.
He surely reproves you, if you accept faces in secret.
11 As soon as he moves himself, he will disturb you, and his dread will fall over you.
Does His excellence not terrify you? And His dread fall on you?
12 Your remembrance will be compared to ashes, and your necks will be reduced to clay.
Your remembrances [are] allegories of ashes, For high places of clay [are] your heights.
13 Be silent for a little while, so that I may speak whatever my mind suggests to me.
Keep silent from me, and I speak, And pass over me what will.
14 Why do I wound my flesh with my teeth, and carry my soul in my hands?
Why do I take my flesh in my teeth? And my soul put in my hand?
15 And now, if he would kill me, I will hope in him; in this, truly, I will correct my ways in his sight.
Behold, He slays me—I do not wait! Only, I argue my ways to His face.
16 And he will be my savior, for no hypocrite at all will approach in his sight.
Also—He [is] to me for salvation, For the profane do not come before Him.
17 Listen to my words, and perceive an enigma with your ears.
Hear my word diligently, And my declaration with your ears.
18 If I will be judged, I know that I will be found to be just.
Now behold, I have set the cause in order, I have known that I am righteous.
19 Who is it that will go to judgment with me? Let him approach. Why should I be consumed in silence?
Who [is] he that strives with me? For now I keep silent and gasp.
20 Do not do such things to me twice, and then I will not hide from your face.
Only two things, O God, do with me, Then I am not hidden from Your face:
21 Take your hand far away from me, and do not let your dread terrify me.
Put Your hand far off from me, And do not let Your terror terrify me.
22 Call me, and I will answer you, or else I will speak, and you can answer me.
And You call, and I answer, Or—I speak, and You answer me.
23 How many iniquities and sins do I have? Reveal my crimes and offenses to me.
How many iniquities and sins do I have? Let me know my transgression and my sin.
24 Why do you conceal your face and consider me to be your enemy?
Why do You hide Your face? And reckon me for an enemy to You?
25 Against a leaf, which is carried away by the wind, you reveal your power, and you pursue dry straw.
Do You terrify a leaf driven away? And do You pursue the dry stubble?
26 For you write bitter things against me, and you want to consume me for the sins of my youth.
For You write bitter things against me, And cause me to possess iniquities of my youth,
27 You have put my feet on a tether, and you have observed all my paths, and you have considered the steps 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 I will be left to decay like something rotten and like a garment that is being eaten by moths.
And he, as a rotten thing, wears away, A moth has consumed him as a garment.”
