Job 13
1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all [this], mine ear hath heard and understood it.
“Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it.
2 What ye know, I know also: I am not inferior to you.
What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you.
3 But I will speak to the Almighty, and will find pleasure in reasoning with God;
“Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God.
4 For ye indeed are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value.
5 Oh that ye would be altogether silent! and it would be your wisdom.
Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise.
6 Hear now my defence, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will ye speak unrighteously for God? and for him speak deceit?
Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?
8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?
9 Will it be well if he should search you out? or as one mocketh at a man, will ye mock at him?
Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?
10 He will certainly reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.
11 Shall not his excellency terrify you? and his dread fall upon you?
Won’t his majesty make you afraid and his dread fall on you?
12 Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, your bulwarks are bulwarks of mire.
Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes. Your defenses are defenses of clay.
13 Hold your peace from me, and I will speak, and let come on me what [will]!
“Be silent! Leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.
14 Wherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?
Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?
15 Behold, if he slay me, yet would I trust in him; but I will defend mine own ways before him.
Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.
16 This also shall be my salvation, that a profane man shall not come before his face.
This also will be my salvation, that a godless man will not come before him.
17 Hear attentively my speech and my declaration with your ears.
Listen carefully to my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.
18 Behold now, I have ordered the cause; I know that I shall be justified.
See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.
19 Who is he that contendeth with me? For if I were silent now, I should expire.
Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.
20 Only do not two things unto me; then will I not hide myself from thee.
“Only don’t do two things to me, then I will not hide myself from your face:
21 Withdraw thy hand far from me; and let not thy terror make me afraid:
withdraw your hand far from me, and don’t let your terror make me afraid.
22 Then call, and I will answer; or I will speak, and answer thou me.
Then call, and I will answer, or let me speak, and you answer me.
23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin.
How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin.
24 Wherefore dost thou hide thy face, and countest me for thine enemy?
Why do you hide your face, and consider me your enemy?
25 Wilt thou terrify a driven leaf? and wilt thou pursue dry stubble?
Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble?
26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth;
For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
27 And thou puttest my feet in the stocks, and markest all my paths; thou settest a bound about the soles of my feet; —
You also put my feet in the stocks, and mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet,
28 One who, as a rotten thing consumeth, as a garment that the moth eateth.
though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
