< Job 13 >
1 “Hey, I [SYN] have seen everything [that you have seen], and I have heard and understood all [that you have said].
Loe, mine eye hath seene all this: mine eare hath heard, and vnderstande it.
2 What you know, I also know; I do (not know less than/know as much as) you.
I knowe also as much as you knowe: I am not inferiour vnto you.
3 But I would like to speak to Almighty God, [not to you]; I would like to argue with him [and prove that I (am innocent/have not done things that are wrong]).
But I will speake to the Almightie, and I desire to dispute with God.
4 As for you, you do not allow people to know the truth about me, like someone covers [up a bad surface of a wall] with whitewash [MET]. You are all like doctors [MET] [that give people] useless [medicines].
For in deede ye forge lyes, and all you are physitions of no value.
5 I wish/desire that you would be silent; that would be the wisest thing that you [could do].
Oh, that you woulde holde your tongue, that it might be imputed to you for wisedome!
6 Listen to what I will say to you now; listen while I am saying [what is true about myself].
Nowe heare my disputation, and giue eare to the arguments of my lips.
7 Are you telling lies about me to prove God [is just in causing me to suffer]? Are you saying what is deceitful in order to benefit him?
Will ye speake wickedly for Gods defence, and talke deceitfully for his cause?
8 Are you trying to defend him? Are you trying to prove [as you would] in a court that he is innocent?
Will ye accept his person? or will ye contende for God?
9 If he looks closely, will he find that everything that you have done is good? Or can you deceive him, like you deceive other people?
Is it well that he shoulde seeke of you? will you make a lye for him, as one lyeth for a man?
10 If you secretly say/do things to cause God to act favorably toward you, he will surely rebuke you.
He will surely reprooue you, if ye doe secretly accept any person.
11 He will certainly [RHQ] cause you to be terrified by his power/greatness; you will become extremely afraid.
Shall not his excellencie make you afraid? and his feare fall vpon you?
12 The things that you say [that you think are] wise are [as useless as] [MET] as ashes; what you say to defend your opinions is no better than [MET] clay [that quickly crumbles].
Your memories may be compared vnto ashes, and your bodyes to bodyes of clay.
13 “So, be quiet and allow me to speak, and then it will not matter what happens to me.
Holde your tongues in my presence, that I may speake, and let come vpon what will.
14 I am ready to endure anything; I am [even] willing to risk being executed [IDM, DOU] [for what I will say].
Wherefore doe I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my soule in mine hande?
15 If God kills me, then I will not have anyone else whom I can confidently expect to help me, but I am going to defend my behavior in his presence [anyway].
Loe, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him, and I will reprooue my wayes in his sight.
16 No wicked/godless person would dare to stand in the presence of God, [but because I say that I have not done things that are wrong], perhaps, if I can prove that to God, he will save me.”
He shalbe my saluation also: for the hypocrite shall not come before him.
17 “God, listen very carefully to what I say [DOU].
Heare diligently my wordes, and marke my talke.
18 I am ready to prove that I am innocent, and I know that you also will declare that I am not guilty.
Beholde nowe: if I prepare me to iudgement, I knowe that I shalbe iustified.
19 I certainly do not think [RHQ] that [you or anyone else] will say that what I say is not true; if anyone did that, I would (be silent/stop talking) and die.
Who is he, that will pleade with me? for if I nowe holde my tongue, I dye.
20 “I am requesting you to do two things for me; if you do them, I will (not hide from you/come and stand in front of you) [LIT].
But doe not these two things vnto me: then will I not hide my selfe from thee.
21 [The first thing that I request is that you] stop punishing [IDM] me; and [the second thing that I request is that you] stop causing me to be very terrified.
Withdrawe thine hande from me, and let not thy feare make me afraide.
22 You speak [first], and then I will reply; or allow me to speak first, and [then] you reply.
Then call thou, and I will answere: or let me speake, and answere thou me.
23 What have I done that is wrong? What sins have I committed? Show me how I have disobeyed you.
Howe many are mine iniquities and sinnes? shewe me my rebellion, and my sinne.
24 Why (do you refuse to be friendly with/have you abandoned) me [IDM]? Why do you (act toward me as though I am/consider me to be) your enemy?
Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and takest me for thine enemie?
25 I am [as insignificant as] [MET] a leaf that is blown by the wind; why are you trying to cause me to be afraid [RHQ]? Why are you pursuing me? Am I [useless, nothing more than a bit of] dry chaff [RHQ]?
Wilt thou breake a leafe driuen to and from? and wilt thou pursue the drie stubble?
26 [It seems that] you are writing things to accuse me [of doing things that are wrong], even recalling bad things that I did when I was young.
For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth.
27 [It is as though] you have fastened my feet with chains [to prevent me from walking], and you watch me wherever I walk; [It is as though] you even look closely at my footprints [to see where I have gone].
Thou puttest my feete also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly vnto all my pathes, and makest the print thereof in ye heeles of my feet.
28 [As a result], my body is decaying like [SIM] rotten wood, like a piece of cloth that is eaten by [larvae of] moths.”
Such one consumeth like a rotten thing, and as a garment that is motheaten.