Job 13
1 “Hey, I [SYN] have seen everything [that you have seen], and I have heard and understood all [that you have said].
Lo, all [this] hath my eye seen, my ear hath heard and noted it for itself;
2 What you know, I also know; I do (not know less than/know as much as) you.
As much as ye know, do I also know: I do not fall short compared with 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]).
However, I would gladly speak to the Almighty; and to argue with God do I desire.
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].
But ye are inventors of falsehood, physicians of no value are all of you.
5 I wish/desire that you would be silent; that would be the wisest thing that you [could do].
Oh, who would grant that ye might keep a profound silences! and it would he accounted unto you as wisdom.
6 Listen to what I will say to you now; listen while I am saying [what is true about myself].
Do hearken but to my reasoning, and listen to the pleadings 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 speak wrong things for God? and will ye speak for him deceitfully?
8 Are you trying to defend him? Are you trying to prove [as you would] in a court that he is innocent?
Will ye show him undue favor, when ye contend 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?
Will it be well if he should search you out? or as one overreacheth another mortal, do ye expect to overreach him?
10 If you secretly say/do things to cause God to act favorably toward you, he will surely rebuke you.
He will surely reprove you, if in secret you show him undue favor.
11 He will certainly [RHQ] cause you to be terrified by his power/greatness; you will become extremely afraid.
Doth not his excellency terrify you? and his dread fall upon 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].
The things you remember are mere proverbs of ashes, your high-places are high-places of clay.
13 “So, be quiet and allow me to speak, and then it will not matter what happens to me.
Keep silence toward me, that I may indeed speak, and let pass over me what will.
14 I am ready to endure anything; I am [even] willing to risk being executed [IDM, DOU] [for what I will say].
Whatever it may cost, I will take my flesh in my teeth, and my life will I put in my hand.
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].
Lo, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: only I will argue my own ways before him.
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.”
Even he will come to my assistance; for a hypocrite cannot come before him.
17 “God, listen very carefully to what I say [DOU].
Listen well to my word, and to my demonstration with your ears.
18 I am ready to prove that I am innocent, and I know that you also will declare that I am not guilty.
Behold now, I have arrayed my cause: I know that I shall be indeed justified.
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 contend with me? for now, if I keep silence, I must perish.
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].
Only two things do not unto me: then will I not hide myself from thy presence.
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.
Remove thy hand far from me; and let not thy dread terrify me.
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 answer; or let me speak, and do thou reply to me.
23 What have I done that is wrong? What sins have I committed? Show me how I have disobeyed you.
How many are my iniquities and sins? my transgression and my sin let me know.
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 wilt thou hide thy face, and regard me as an enemy unto thee?
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 terrify a leaf driven about [by the wind]? and wilt thou pursue dry 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.
That thou writest bitter decrees against me, and assignest unto me 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].
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 [As a result], my body is decaying like [SIM] rotten wood, like a piece of cloth that is eaten by [larvae of] moths.”
And yet the body decayeth like a rotten thing, as a garment that the moth hath eaten.
