Job 13
1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all [this], mine ear hath heard and understood it.
“Hey, I [SYN] have seen everything [that you have seen], and I have heard and understood all [that you have said].
2 What ye know, I know also: I am not inferior to you.
What you know, I also know; I do (not know less than/know as much as) you.
3 But I will speak to the Almighty, and will find pleasure in reasoning with God;
But I would like to speak to Almighty God, [not to you]; I would like to argue with him [and prove that I (am innocent/have not done things that are wrong]).
4 For ye indeed are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
As for you, you do not allow people to know the truth about me, like someone covers [up a bad surface of a wall] with whitewash [MET]. You are all like doctors [MET] [that give people] useless [medicines].
5 Oh that ye would be altogether silent! and it would be your wisdom.
I wish/desire that you would be silent; that would be the wisest thing that you [could do].
6 Hear now my defence, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
Listen to what I will say to you now; listen while I am saying [what is true about myself].
7 Will ye speak unrighteously for God? and for him speak deceit?
Are you telling lies about me to prove God [is just in causing me to suffer]? Are you saying what is deceitful in order to benefit him?
8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
Are you trying to defend him? Are you trying to prove [as you would] in a court that he is innocent?
9 Will it be well if he should search you out? or as one mocketh at a man, will ye mock at him?
If he looks closely, will he find that everything that you have done is good? Or can you deceive him, like you deceive other people?
10 He will certainly reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
If you secretly say/do things to cause God to act favorably toward you, he will surely rebuke you.
11 Shall not his excellency terrify you? and his dread fall upon you?
He will certainly [RHQ] cause you to be terrified by his power/greatness; you will become extremely afraid.
12 Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, your bulwarks are bulwarks of mire.
The things that you say [that you think are] wise are [as useless as] [MET] as ashes; what you say to defend your opinions is no better than [MET] clay [that quickly crumbles].
13 Hold your peace from me, and I will speak, and let come on me what [will]!
“So, be quiet and allow me to speak, and then it will not matter what happens to me.
14 Wherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?
I am ready to endure anything; I am [even] willing to risk being executed [IDM, DOU] [for what I will say].
15 Behold, if he slay me, yet would I trust in him; but I will defend mine own ways before him.
If God kills me, then I will not have anyone else whom I can confidently expect to help me, but I am going to defend my behavior in his presence [anyway].
16 This also shall be my salvation, that a profane man shall not come before his face.
No wicked/godless person would dare to stand in the presence of God, [but because I say that I have not done things that are wrong], perhaps, if I can prove that to God, he will save me.”
17 Hear attentively my speech and my declaration with your ears.
“God, listen very carefully to what I say [DOU].
18 Behold now, I have ordered the cause; I know that I shall be justified.
I am ready to prove that I am innocent, and I know that you also will declare that I am not guilty.
19 Who is he that contendeth with me? For if I were silent now, I should expire.
I certainly do not think [RHQ] that [you or anyone else] will say that what I say is not true; if anyone did that, I would (be silent/stop talking) and die.
20 Only do not two things unto me; then will I not hide myself from thee.
“I am requesting you to do two things for me; if you do them, I will (not hide from you/come and stand in front of you) [LIT].
21 Withdraw thy hand far from me; and let not thy terror make me afraid:
[The first thing that I request is that you] stop punishing [IDM] me; and [the second thing that I request is that you] stop causing me to be very terrified.
22 Then call, and I will answer; or I will speak, and answer thou me.
You speak [first], and then I will reply; or allow me to speak first, and [then] you reply.
23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin.
What have I done that is wrong? What sins have I committed? Show me how I have disobeyed you.
24 Wherefore dost thou hide thy face, and countest me for thine enemy?
Why (do you refuse to be friendly with/have you abandoned) me [IDM]? Why do you (act toward me as though I am/consider me to be) your enemy?
25 Wilt thou terrify a driven leaf? and wilt thou pursue dry stubble?
I am [as insignificant as] [MET] a leaf that is blown by the wind; why are you trying to cause me to be afraid [RHQ]? Why are you pursuing me? Am I [useless, nothing more than a bit of] dry chaff [RHQ]?
26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth;
[It seems that] you are writing things to accuse me [of doing things that are wrong], even recalling bad things that I did when I was young.
27 And thou puttest my feet in the stocks, and markest all my paths; thou settest a bound about the soles of my feet; —
[It is as though] you have fastened my feet with chains [to prevent me from walking], and you watch me wherever I walk; [It is as though] you even look closely at my footprints [to see where I have gone].
28 One who, as a rotten thing consumeth, as a garment that the moth eateth.
[As a result], my body is decaying like [SIM] rotten wood, like a piece of cloth that is eaten by [larvae of] moths.”
