Job 13
1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.
“Indeed, my eyes have seen all this; my ears have heard and understood.
2 What ye know, do I know also; I am not inferior unto you.
What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.
3 Notwithstanding I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
Yet I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God.
4 But ye are plasterers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
You, however, smear with lies; you are all worthless physicians.
5 Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it would be your wisdom.
If only you would remain silent; for that would be your wisdom!
6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
Hear now my argument, and listen to the plea of my lips.
7 Will ye speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for Him?
Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf or speak deceitfully for Him?
8 Will ye show Him favour? Will ye contend for God?
Would you show Him partiality or argue in His defense?
9 Would it be good that He should search you out? Or as one mocketh a man, will ye mock Him?
Would it be well when He examined you? Could you deceive Him like a man?
10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly show favour.
Surely He would rebuke you if you secretly showed partiality.
11 Shall not His majesty terrify you, and His dread fall upon you?
Would His majesty not terrify you? Would the dread of Him not fall upon you?
12 Your memorials shall be like unto ashes, your eminences to eminences of clay.
Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.
13 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.
Be silent, and I will speak. Then let come to me what may.
14 Wherefore? I will take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand.
Why do I put myself at risk and take my life in my own hands?
15 Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him; but I will argue my ways before Him.
Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways to His face.
16 This also shall be my salvation, that a hypocrite cannot come before Him.
Moreover, this will be my salvation, for no godless man can appear before Him.
17 Hear diligently my speech, and let my declaration be in your ears.
Listen carefully to my words; let my declaration ring in your ears.
18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.
Behold, now that I have prepared my case, I know that I will be vindicated.
19 Who is he that will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and die.
Can anyone indict me? If so, I will be silent and die.
20 Only do not two things unto me, then will I not hide myself from Thee:
Only grant these two things to me, so that I need not hide from You:
21 Withdraw Thy hand far from me; and let not Thy terror make me afraid.
Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me.
22 Then call Thou, and I will answer; or let me speak, and answer Thou me.
Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and You can reply.
23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin.
How many are my iniquities and sins? Reveal to me my transgression and sin.
24 Wherefore hidest Thou Thy face, and holdest me for Thine enemy?
Why do You hide Your face and consider me as Your enemy?
25 Wilt Thou harass a driven leaf? And wilt Thou pursue the dry stubble?
Would You frighten a windblown leaf? Would You chase after dry chaff?
26 That Thou shouldest write bitter things against me, and make me to inherit the iniquities of my youth.
For You record bitter accusations against me and bequeath to me the iniquities of my youth.
27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; Thou drawest Thee a line about the soles of my feet;
You put my feet in the stocks and stand watch over all my paths; You set a limit for the soles of my feet.
28 Though I am like a wine-skin that consumeth, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
So man wastes away like something rotten, like a moth-eaten garment.
