Job 13
1 Lo, all [this] hath my eye seen, my ear hath heard and noted it for itself;
Lo! all [this], hath mine own eye seen, —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.
Just as ye know, I too, know, I, fall not short, of you.
3 However, I would gladly speak to the Almighty; and to argue with God do I desire.
But indeed, I, unto the Almighty, would speak, and, to direct my argument unto GOD, would I be well pleased.
4 But ye are inventors of falsehood, physicians of no value are all of you.
For, in truth, ye, do besmear with falsehood, Worthless physicians, all of you!
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, altogether hold your peace, and it should serve you for wisdom!
6 Do hearken but to my reasoning, and listen to the pleadings of my lips.
Hear, I pray you, the argument of my mouth, and, to the pleadings of my lips, give heed: —
7 Will ye speak wrong things for God? and will ye speak for him deceitfully?
Is it, for God, ye would speak perversely? And, for him, would ye speak deceit:
8 Will ye show him undue favor, when ye contend for God?
Even, for him, would ye be partial? Or, for GOD, would ye [so] plead?
9 Will it be well if he should search you out? or as one overreacheth another mortal, do ye expect to overreach him?
Would it be well, when he searched you out? Or, as one might jest with a mortal, would ye jest, with him?
10 He will surely reprove you, if in secret you show him undue favor.
He will, severely rebuke, you, if ye are secretly partial.
11 Doth not his excellency terrify you? and his dread fall upon you?
Shall not, his majesty, overwhelm you? and, the dread of him, fall upon you?
12 The things you remember are mere proverbs of ashes, your high-places are high-places of clay.
Are not your memorable sayings, proverbs of ashes? Breastworks of clay, your breastworks?
13 Keep silence toward me, that I may indeed speak, and let pass over me what will.
Quietly let me alone, that, I, may speak out, then let come on me, what may.
14 Whatever it may cost, I will take my flesh in my teeth, and my life will I put in my hand.
In any case, I will take up my flesh in my teeth, and, my life, will I put in my hand:
15 Lo, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: only I will argue my own ways before him.
Lo! he may slay me, [yet], for him, will I wait, —Nevertheless, my ways—unto his face, will I show to be right:
16 Even he will come to my assistance; for a hypocrite cannot come before him.
Even he, will be on my side—unto salvation, For, not before his face, shall any impious person come.
17 Listen well to my word, and to my demonstration with your ears.
Hear ye patiently my speech, and be my declaration in your ears.
18 Behold now, I have arrayed my cause: I know that I shall be indeed justified.
Lo! I pray you, I have set forth in order a plea, I know that, I, shall be found right.
19 Who is he that will contend with me? for now, if I keep silence, I must perish.
Who is it that shall contend with me? For, now, if I should hold my peace, why! I should breathe my last!
20 Only two things do not unto me: then will I not hide myself from thy presence.
Only, two things, do thou not with me, then, from thy face, will I not hide me: —
21 Remove thy hand far from me; and let not thy dread terrify me.
Thy hand—from off me, take thou far away, and, thy terror, let it not startle me!
22 Then call thou, and I will answer; or let me speak, and do thou reply to me.
Then call thou, and, I, will answer, Or I will speak, and reply thou unto me.
23 How many are my iniquities and sins? my transgression and my sin let me know.
How many are mine iniquities and sins? My transgression and my sin, let me know!
24 Wherefore wilt thou hide thy face, and regard me as an enemy unto thee?
Wherefore, thy face, shouldst thou hide? Or count me, as an enemy to thee?
25 Wilt thou terrify a leaf driven about [by the wind]? and wilt thou pursue dry stubble?
A driven leaf, wilt thou cause to tremble? Or, dry stubble, wilt thou pursue?
26 That thou writest bitter decrees against me, and assignest unto me the iniquities of my youth;
For thou writest, against me, bitter things, and dost make me inherit 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 dost put—in the stocks—my feet, and observest all my paths, Against the roots of my feet, thou dost cut out a bound;
28 And yet the body decayeth like a rotten thing, as a garment that the moth hath eaten.
And, a man himself, as a rotten thing, weareth out, as a garment which the moth hath eaten.
