Job 13
1 See, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it.
Behold, my eye has seen all these things, and my ear has heard, and I have understood each one.
2 What you know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior to you.
In conformity with your knowledge, I also know. I am not inferior to you.
3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
Yet I speak this way to the Almighty, and I desire to argue with God,
4 But you are forgers of lies, you are all physicians of no value.
having first shown that you fabricate lies and cultivate perverse teachings.
5 O that you would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.
And I wish that you would remain silent, so that you would be counted among the wise.
6 Hear now my reasoning, and listen to the pleadings of my lips.
Therefore, listen to my correction, and pay attention to the judgment of my lips.
7 Will you speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
Does God require your lie, so that you would speak deceitfully for him?
8 Will you accept his person? will you contend for God?
Have you taken his place, and do you struggle to give judgment in favor of God?
9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocks another, do you so mock him?
Or, will it please him, from whom nothing can be concealed? Or, will he be deceived, like a man, by your deceitfulness?
10 He will surely reprove you, if you do secretly accept persons.
He will accuse you because in secret you have preempted his presence.
11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall on you?
As soon as he moves himself, he will disturb you, and his dread will fall over you.
12 Your remembrances are like to ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.
Your remembrance will be compared to ashes, and your necks will be reduced to clay.
13 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.
Be silent for a little while, so that I may speak whatever my mind suggests to me.
14 Why do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?
Why do I wound my flesh with my teeth, and carry my soul in my hands?
15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain my own ways before him.
And now, if he would kill me, I will hope in him; in this, truly, I will correct my ways in his sight.
16 He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.
And he will be my savior, for no hypocrite at all will approach in his sight.
17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.
Listen to my words, and perceive an enigma with your ears.
18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.
If I will be judged, I know that I will be found to be just.
19 Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.
Who is it that will go to judgment with me? Let him approach. Why should I be consumed in silence?
20 Only do not two things to me: then will I not hide myself from you.
Do not do such things to me twice, and then I will not hide from your face.
21 Withdraw your hand far from me: and let not your dread make me afraid.
Take your hand far away from me, and do not let your dread terrify me.
22 Then call you, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer you me.
Call me, and I will answer you, or else I will speak, and you can answer me.
23 How many are my iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.
How many iniquities and sins do I have? Reveal my crimes and offenses to me.
24 Why hide you your face, and hold me for your enemy?
Why do you conceal your face and consider me to be your enemy?
25 Will you break a leaf driven to and fro? and will you pursue the dry stubble?
Against a leaf, which is carried away by the wind, you reveal your power, and you pursue dry straw.
26 For you write bitter things against me, and make me to possess the iniquities of my youth.
For you write bitter things against me, and you want to consume me for the sins of my youth.
27 You put my feet also in the stocks, and look narrowly to all my paths; you set a print on the heels of my feet.
You have put my feet on a tether, and you have observed all my paths, and you have considered the steps of my feet.
28 And he, as a rotten thing, consumes, as a garment that is moth eaten.
I will be left to decay like something rotten and like a garment that is being eaten by moths.
