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, do I know also; I am not inferior unto you.
What you know, I also know; I do (not know less than/know as much as) you.
3 Notwithstanding I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason 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 But ye are plasterers 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 altogether hold your peace! 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 reasoning, 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 talk deceitfully for Him?
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 show Him favour? 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 Would it be good that He should search you out? Or as one mocketh a man, will ye mock 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 surely reprove you, if ye do secretly show favour.
If you secretly say/do things to cause God to act favorably toward you, he will surely rebuke you.
11 Shall not His majesty 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 memorials shall be like unto ashes, your eminences to eminences of clay.
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, let me alone, that I may 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? I will 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 Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him; but I will argue my 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 hypocrite cannot come before Him.
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 diligently my speech, and let my declaration be in your ears.
“God, listen very carefully to what I say [DOU].
18 Behold now, I have ordered my 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 will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and die.
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 Thou, and I will answer; or let me 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 hidest Thou Thy face, and holdest 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 harass a driven leaf? And wilt Thou pursue the 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 That Thou shouldest write bitter things against me, and make me to inherit 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 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;
[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 Though I am like a wine-skin that consumeth, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
[As a result], my body is decaying like [SIM] rotten wood, like a piece of cloth that is eaten by [larvae of] moths.”
