Job 13
1 "Look, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it.
Lo, all [this] hath my eye seen, my ear hath heard and noted it for itself;
2 What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you.
As much as ye know, do I also know: I do not fall short compared with you.
3 "Surely I would speak to Shaddai. I desire to reason with God.
However, I would gladly speak to the Almighty; and to argue with God do I desire.
4 But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value.
But ye are inventors of falsehood, physicians of no value are all of you.
5 Oh that you would be completely silent. Then you would be wise.
Oh, who would grant that ye might keep a profound silences! and it would he accounted unto you as wisdom.
6 Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips.
Do hearken but to my reasoning, and listen to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?
Will ye speak wrong things for God? and will ye speak for him deceitfully?
8 Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?
Will ye show him undue favor, when ye contend for God?
9 Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?
Will it be well if he should search you out? or as one overreacheth another mortal, do ye expect to overreach him?
10 He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.
He will surely reprove you, if in secret you show him undue favor.
11 Shall not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall on you?
Doth not his excellency terrify you? and his dread fall upon you?
12 Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay.
The things you remember are mere proverbs of ashes, your high-places are high-places of clay.
13 "Be silent, leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.
Keep silence toward me, that I may indeed speak, and let pass over me what will.
14 Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?
Whatever it may cost, I will take my flesh in my teeth, and my life will I put in my hand.
15 Look, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.
Lo, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: only I will argue my own ways before him.
16 This also shall be my salvation, that a godless man shall not come before him.
Even he will come to my assistance; for a hypocrite cannot come before him.
17 Hear diligently my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.
Listen well to my word, and to my demonstration with your ears.
18 See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.
Behold now, I have arrayed my cause: I know that I shall be indeed justified.
19 Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.
Who is he that will contend with me? for now, if I keep silence, I must perish.
20 "Only do not do two things to me; then I will not hide myself from your face:
Only two things do not unto me: then will I not hide myself from thy presence.
21 withdraw your hand far from me; and do not let your terror make me afraid.
Remove thy hand far from me; and let not thy dread terrify me.
22 Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and you answer me.
Then call thou, and I will answer; or let me speak, and do thou reply to me.
23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin.
How many are my iniquities and sins? my transgression and my sin let me know.
24 Why hide you your face, and hold me for your enemy?
Wherefore wilt thou hide thy face, and regard me as an enemy unto thee?
25 Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble?
Wilt thou terrify a leaf driven about [by the wind]? and wilt thou pursue dry stubble?
26 For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth:
That thou writest bitter decrees against me, and assignest unto me the iniquities of my youth;
27 You also put my feet in the stocks, and mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet,
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?
28 though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
And yet the body decayeth like a rotten thing, as a garment that the moth hath eaten.
