Job 13
1 Lo! all this mine eye hath seen; Mine ear hath heard and understood it.
"Look, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it.
2 What ye know, I know also; I am not inferior to you.
What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you.
3 But O that I might speak with the Almighty! O that I might reason with God!
"Surely I would speak to Shaddai. I desire to reason with God.
4 For ye are forgers of lies; Physicians of no value, all of you!
But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value.
5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! This, truly, would be wisdom in you.
Oh that you would be completely silent. Then you would be wise.
6 Hear, I pray you, my arguments; Attend to the pleadings of my lips!
Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will ye speak falsehood for God? Will ye utter deceit for him?
Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?
8 Will ye be partial to his person? Will ye contend earnestly for God?
Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?
9 Will it be well for you, if he search you thoroughly? Can ye deceive him, as one may deceive a man?
Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?
10 Surely he will rebuke you, If ye secretly have respect to persons.
He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.
11 Doth not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall upon you?
Shall not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall on you?
12 Your maxims are words of dust; Your fortresses are fortresses of clay.
Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay.
13 Hold your peace, and let me speak: And then come upon me what will!
"Be silent, leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.
14 Why do I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hand?
Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?
15 Lo! he slayeth me, and I have no hope! Yet will I justify my ways before him.
Look, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.
16 This also shall be my deliverance; For no unrighteous man will come before him.
This also shall be my salvation, that a godless man shall not come before him.
17 Hear attentively my words, And give ear to my declaration!
Hear diligently my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.
18 Behold, I have now set in order my cause; I know that I am innocent.
See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.
19 Who is he that can contend with me? For then would I hold my peace, and die!
Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.
20 Only do not unto me two things, Then will I not hide myself from thy presence;
"Only do not do two things to me; then I will not hide myself from your face:
21 Let not thy hand be heavy upon me, And let not thy terrors make me afraid:
withdraw your hand far from me; and do not let your terror make me afraid.
22 Then call upon me, and I will answer; Or I will speak, and answer thou me.
Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and you answer me.
23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me to know my faults and transgressions.
How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin.
24 Wherefore dost thou hide thy face, And account me as thine enemy?
Why hide you your face, and hold me for your enemy?
25 Wilt thou put in fear the driven leaf? Wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble?
26 For thou writest bitter things against me, And makest me inherit the sins of my youth.
For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth:
27 Yea, thou puttest my feet in the stocks, And waterest all my paths; Thou hemmest in the soles of my feet.
You also put my feet in the stocks, and mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet,
28 And I, like an abandoned thing, shall waste away; Like a garment which is moth-eaten.
though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
