Job 13
1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.
Lo, all [this] hath my eye seen, my ear hath heard and noted it for itself;
2 What ye know, do I know also; I am not inferior unto you.
As much as ye know, do I also know: I do not fall short compared with you.
3 Notwithstanding I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
However, I would gladly speak to the Almighty; and to argue with God do I desire.
4 But ye are plasterers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
But ye are inventors of falsehood, physicians of no value are all of you.
5 Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it would be your wisdom.
Oh, who would grant that ye might keep a profound silences! and it would he accounted unto you as wisdom.
6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
Do hearken but to my reasoning, and listen to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will ye speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for Him?
Will ye speak wrong things for God? and will ye speak for him deceitfully?
8 Will ye show Him favour? Will ye contend for God?
Will ye show him undue favor, when ye contend for God?
9 Would it be good that He should search you out? Or as one mocketh a man, will ye mock Him?
Will it be well if he should search you out? or as one overreacheth another mortal, do ye expect to overreach him?
10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly show favour.
He will surely reprove you, if in secret you show him undue favor.
11 Shall not His majesty terrify you, and His dread fall upon you?
Doth not his excellency terrify you? and his dread fall upon you?
12 Your memorials shall be like unto ashes, your eminences to eminences of clay.
The things you remember are mere proverbs of ashes, your high-places are high-places of clay.
13 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.
Keep silence toward me, that I may indeed speak, and let pass over me what will.
14 Wherefore? I will take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand.
Whatever it may cost, I will take my flesh in my teeth, and my life will I put in my hand.
15 Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him; but I will argue my ways before Him.
Lo, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: only I will argue my own ways before him.
16 This also shall be my salvation, that a hypocrite cannot come before Him.
Even he will come to my assistance; for a hypocrite cannot come before him.
17 Hear diligently my speech, and let my declaration be in your ears.
Listen well to my word, and to my demonstration with your ears.
18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.
Behold now, I have arrayed my cause: I know that I shall be indeed justified.
19 Who is he that will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and die.
Who is he that will contend with me? for now, if I keep silence, I must perish.
20 Only do not two things unto me, then will I not hide myself from Thee:
Only two things do not unto me: then will I not hide myself from thy presence.
21 Withdraw Thy hand far from me; and let not Thy terror make me afraid.
Remove thy hand far from me; and let not thy dread terrify me.
22 Then call Thou, and I will answer; or let me speak, and answer Thou me.
Then call thou, and I will answer; or let me speak, and do thou reply to 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? my transgression and my sin let me know.
24 Wherefore hidest Thou Thy face, and holdest me for Thine enemy?
Wherefore wilt thou hide thy face, and regard me as an enemy unto thee?
25 Wilt Thou harass a driven leaf? And wilt Thou pursue the dry stubble?
Wilt thou terrify a leaf driven about [by the wind]? and wilt thou pursue dry stubble?
26 That Thou shouldest write bitter things against me, and make me to inherit the iniquities of my youth.
That thou writest bitter decrees against me, and assignest unto 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;
And [that] thou puttest my feet in the stocks, and watchest narrowly all my paths; [and] settest for thyself a mark upon the soles of my feet?
28 Though I am like a wine-skin that consumeth, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
And yet the body decayeth like a rotten thing, as a garment that the moth hath eaten.
