Job 13
1 Lo! all [this], hath mine own eye seen, —Mine ear hath heard and understood it:
“Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it.
2 Just as ye know, I too, know, I, fall not short, of you.
What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you.
3 But indeed, I, unto the Almighty, would speak, and, to direct my argument unto GOD, would I be well pleased.
“Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God.
4 For, in truth, ye, do besmear with falsehood, Worthless physicians, all of you!
But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value.
5 Oh that ye would, altogether hold your peace, and it should serve you for wisdom!
Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise.
6 Hear, I pray you, the argument of my mouth, and, to the pleadings of my lips, give heed: —
Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Is it, for God, ye would speak perversely? And, for him, would ye speak deceit:
Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?
8 Even, for him, would ye be partial? Or, for GOD, would ye [so] plead?
Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?
9 Would it be well, when he searched you out? Or, as one might jest with a mortal, would ye jest, with him?
Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?
10 He will, severely rebuke, you, if ye are secretly partial.
He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.
11 Shall not, his majesty, overwhelm you? and, the dread of him, fall upon you?
Won’t his majesty make you afraid and his dread fall on you?
12 Are not your memorable sayings, proverbs of ashes? Breastworks of clay, your breastworks?
Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes. Your defenses are defenses of clay.
13 Quietly let me alone, that, I, may speak out, then let come on me, what may.
“Be silent! Leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.
14 In any case, I will take up my flesh in my teeth, and, my life, will I put in my hand:
Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?
15 Lo! he may slay me, [yet], for him, will I wait, —Nevertheless, my ways—unto his face, will I show to be right:
Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.
16 Even he, will be on my side—unto salvation, For, not before his face, shall any impious person come.
This also will be my salvation, that a godless man will not come before him.
17 Hear ye patiently my speech, and be my declaration in your ears.
Listen carefully to my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.
18 Lo! I pray you, I have set forth in order a plea, I know that, I, shall be found right.
See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.
19 Who is it that shall contend with me? For, now, if I should hold my peace, why! I should breathe my last!
Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.
20 Only, two things, do thou not with me, then, from thy face, will I not hide me: —
“Only don’t do two things to me, then I will not hide myself from your face:
21 Thy hand—from off me, take thou far away, and, thy terror, let it not startle me!
withdraw your hand far from me, and don’t let your terror make me afraid.
22 Then call thou, and, I, will answer, Or I will speak, and reply thou unto me.
Then call, and I will answer, or let me speak, and you answer me.
23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? My transgression and my sin, let me know!
How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin.
24 Wherefore, thy face, shouldst thou hide? Or count me, as an enemy to thee?
Why do you hide your face, and consider me your enemy?
25 A driven leaf, wilt thou cause to tremble? Or, dry stubble, wilt thou pursue?
Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble?
26 For thou writest, against me, bitter things, and dost make me inherit the iniquities of my youth;
For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
27 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;
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, a man himself, as a rotten thing, weareth out, as a garment which the moth hath eaten.
though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
