Job 13
1 Lo, all [this] hath my eye seen, my ear hath heard and noted it for itself;
Lo, mine eye hath seen all [this], mine ear hath heard and understood it.
2 As much as ye know, do I also know: I do not fall short compared with you.
What ye know, I know also: I am not inferior to you.
3 However, I would gladly speak to the Almighty; and to argue with God do I desire.
But I will speak to the Almighty, and will find pleasure in reasoning with God;
4 But ye are inventors of falsehood, physicians of no value are all of you.
For ye indeed are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
5 Oh, who would grant that ye might keep a profound silences! and it would he accounted unto you as wisdom.
Oh that ye would be altogether silent! and it would be your wisdom.
6 Do hearken but to my reasoning, and listen to the pleadings of my lips.
Hear now my defence, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will ye speak wrong things for God? and will ye speak for him deceitfully?
Will ye speak unrighteously for God? and for him speak deceit?
8 Will ye show him undue favor, when ye contend for God?
Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
9 Will it be well if he should search you out? or as one overreacheth another mortal, do ye expect to overreach him?
Will it be well if he should search you out? or as one mocketh at a man, will ye mock at him?
10 He will surely reprove you, if in secret you show him undue favor.
He will certainly reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
11 Doth not his excellency terrify you? and his dread fall upon you?
Shall not his excellency terrify you? and his dread fall upon you?
12 The things you remember are mere proverbs of ashes, your high-places are high-places of clay.
Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, your bulwarks are bulwarks of mire.
13 Keep silence toward me, that I may indeed speak, and let pass over me what will.
Hold your peace from me, and I will speak, and let come on me what [will]!
14 Whatever it may cost, I will take my flesh in my teeth, and my life will I put in my hand.
Wherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?
15 Lo, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: only I will argue my own ways before him.
Behold, if he slay me, yet would I trust in him; but I will defend mine own ways before him.
16 Even he will come to my assistance; for a hypocrite cannot come before him.
This also shall be my salvation, that a profane man shall not come before his face.
17 Listen well to my word, and to my demonstration with your ears.
Hear attentively my speech and my declaration with your ears.
18 Behold now, I have arrayed my cause: I know that I shall be indeed justified.
Behold now, I have ordered the cause; I know that I shall be justified.
19 Who is he that will contend with me? for now, if I keep silence, I must perish.
Who is he that contendeth with me? For if I were silent now, I should expire.
20 Only two things do not unto me: then will I not hide myself from thy presence.
Only do not two things unto me; then will I not hide myself from thee.
21 Remove thy hand far from me; and let not thy dread terrify me.
Withdraw thy hand far from me; and let not thy terror make me afraid:
22 Then call thou, and I will answer; or let me speak, and do thou reply to me.
Then call, and I will answer; or I will speak, and answer thou me.
23 How many are my iniquities and sins? my transgression and my sin let me know.
How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin.
24 Wherefore wilt thou hide thy face, and regard me as an enemy unto thee?
Wherefore dost thou hide thy face, and countest me for thine enemy?
25 Wilt thou terrify a leaf driven about [by the wind]? and wilt thou pursue dry stubble?
Wilt thou terrify a driven leaf? and wilt thou pursue dry stubble?
26 That thou writest bitter decrees against me, and assignest unto me the iniquities of my youth;
For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities 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?
And thou puttest my feet in the stocks, and markest all my paths; thou settest a bound about the soles of my feet; —
28 And yet the body decayeth like a rotten thing, as a garment that the moth hath eaten.
One who, as a rotten thing consumeth, as a garment that the moth eateth.
