Job 13
1 Loe, mine eye hath seene all this: mine eare hath heard, and vnderstande it.
“Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it.
2 I knowe also as much as you knowe: I am not inferiour vnto you.
What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you.
3 But I will speake to the Almightie, and I desire to dispute with God.
“Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God.
4 For in deede ye forge lyes, and all you are physitions of no value.
But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value.
5 Oh, that you woulde holde your tongue, that it might be imputed to you for wisedome!
Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise.
6 Nowe heare my disputation, and giue eare to the arguments of my lips.
Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will ye speake wickedly for Gods defence, and talke deceitfully for his cause?
Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?
8 Will ye accept his person? or will ye contende for God?
Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?
9 Is it well that he shoulde seeke of you? will you make a lye for him, as one lyeth for a man?
Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?
10 He will surely reprooue you, if ye doe secretly accept any person.
He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.
11 Shall not his excellencie make you afraid? and his feare fall vpon you?
Won’t his majesty make you afraid and his dread fall on you?
12 Your memories may be compared vnto ashes, and your bodyes to bodyes of clay.
Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes. Your defences are defences of clay.
13 Holde your tongues in my presence, that I may speake, and let come vpon what will.
“Be silent! Leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.
14 Wherefore doe I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my soule in mine hande?
Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?
15 Loe, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him, and I will reprooue my wayes in his sight.
Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.
16 He shalbe my saluation also: for the hypocrite shall not come before him.
This also will be my salvation, that a godless man will not come before him.
17 Heare diligently my wordes, and marke my talke.
Listen carefully to my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.
18 Beholde nowe: if I prepare me to iudgement, I knowe that I shalbe iustified.
See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.
19 Who is he, that will pleade with me? for if I nowe holde my tongue, I dye.
Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.
20 But doe not these two things vnto me: then will I not hide my selfe from thee.
“Only don’t do two things to me, then I will not hide myself from your face:
21 Withdrawe thine hande from me, and let not thy feare make me afraide.
withdraw your hand far from me, and don’t let your terror make me afraid.
22 Then call thou, and I will answere: or let me speake, and answere thou me.
Then call, and I will answer, or let me speak, and you answer me.
23 Howe many are mine iniquities and sinnes? shewe me my rebellion, and my sinne.
How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin.
24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and takest me for thine enemie?
Why do you hide your face, and consider me your enemy?
25 Wilt thou breake a leafe driuen to and from? and wilt thou pursue the drie 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 possesse the iniquities of my youth.
For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
27 Thou puttest my feete also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly vnto all my pathes, and makest the print thereof in ye heeles 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 Such one consumeth like a rotten thing, and as a garment that is motheaten.
though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
