Job 13
1 Lo, all [this] hath my eye seen, my ear hath heard and noted it for itself;
Behold, my eye has seen all these things, and my ear has heard, and I have understood each one.
2 As much as ye know, do I also know: I do not fall short compared with you.
In conformity with your knowledge, I also know. I am not inferior to you.
3 However, I would gladly speak to the Almighty; and to argue with God do I desire.
Yet I speak this way to the Almighty, and I desire to argue with God,
4 But ye are inventors of falsehood, physicians of no value are all of you.
having first shown that you fabricate lies and cultivate perverse teachings.
5 Oh, who would grant that ye might keep a profound silences! and it would he accounted unto you as wisdom.
And I wish that you would remain silent, so that you would be counted among the wise.
6 Do hearken but to 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 ye speak wrong things for God? and will ye speak for him deceitfully?
Does God require your lie, so that you would speak deceitfully for him?
8 Will ye show him undue favor, when ye contend for God?
Have you taken his place, and do you struggle to give judgment in favor of God?
9 Will it be well if he should search you out? or as one overreacheth another mortal, do ye expect to overreach 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 in secret you show him undue favor.
He will accuse you because in secret you have preempted his presence.
11 Doth not his excellency terrify you? and his dread fall upon you?
As soon as he moves himself, he will disturb you, and his dread will fall over you.
12 The things you remember are mere proverbs of ashes, your high-places are high-places of clay.
Your remembrance will be compared to ashes, and your necks will be reduced to clay.
13 Keep silence toward me, that I may indeed speak, and let pass over me what will.
Be silent for a little while, so that I may speak whatever my mind suggests to me.
14 Whatever it may cost, I will take my flesh in my teeth, and my life will I put in my hand.
Why do I wound my flesh with my teeth, and carry my soul in my hands?
15 Lo, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: only I will argue 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 Even he will come to my assistance; for a hypocrite cannot come before him.
And he will be my savior, for no hypocrite at all will approach in his sight.
17 Listen well to my word, and to my demonstration with your ears.
Listen to my words, and perceive an enigma with your ears.
18 Behold now, I have arrayed my cause: I know that I shall be indeed justified.
If I will be judged, I know that I will be found to be just.
19 Who is he that will contend with me? for now, if I keep silence, I must perish.
Who is it that will go to judgment with me? Let him approach. Why should I be consumed in silence?
20 Only two things do not unto me: then will I not hide myself from thy presence.
Do not do such things to me twice, and then I will not hide from your face.
21 Remove thy hand far from me; and let not thy dread terrify me.
Take your hand far away from me, and do not let your dread terrify me.
22 Then call thou, and I will answer; or let me speak, and do thou reply to 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? my transgression and my sin let me know.
How many iniquities and sins do I have? Reveal my crimes and offenses to me.
24 Wherefore wilt thou hide thy face, and regard me as an enemy unto thee?
Why do you conceal your face and consider me to be your enemy?
25 Wilt thou terrify a leaf driven about [by the wind]? and wilt thou pursue dry stubble?
Against a leaf, which is carried away by the wind, you reveal your power, and you pursue dry straw.
26 That thou writest bitter decrees against me, and assignest unto me 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 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?
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 yet the body decayeth like a rotten thing, as a garment that the moth hath eaten.
I will be left to decay like something rotten and like a garment that is being eaten by moths.
