Job 13
1 “Hey, I [SYN] have seen everything [that you have seen], and I have heard and understood all [that you have said].
“Behold, my eye has seen all, My ear has heard, and it attends to it.
2 What you know, I also know; I do (not know less than/know as much as) you.
According to your knowledge I have known—also I. I am not more fallen than 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]).
Yet I speak for the Mighty One, And I delight to argue for 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].
And yet, you [are] forgers of falsehood, Physicians of nothing—all of you,
5 I wish/desire that you would be silent; that would be the wisest thing that you [could do].
O that you would keep perfectly silent, And it would be to you for wisdom.
6 Listen to what I will say to you now; listen while I am saying [what is true about myself].
Please hear my argument, And attend 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?
Do you speak perverseness for God? And do you speak deceit for Him?
8 Are you trying to defend him? Are you trying to prove [as you would] in a court that he is innocent?
Do you accept His face, if you strive 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] good that He searches you, If, as one mocks at a man, you mock at Him?
10 If you secretly say/do things to cause God to act favorably toward you, he will surely rebuke you.
He surely reproves you, if you accept faces in secret.
11 He will certainly [RHQ] cause you to be terrified by his power/greatness; you will become extremely afraid.
Does His excellence not terrify you? And His dread fall on 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 remembrances [are] allegories of ashes, For high places of clay [are] your heights.
13 “So, be quiet and allow me to speak, and then it will not matter what happens to me.
Keep silent from me, and I speak, And 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].
Why do I take my flesh in my teeth? And my soul 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].
Behold, He slays me—I do not wait! Only, I argue my ways to His face.
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.”
Also—He [is] to me for salvation, For the profane do not come before Him.
17 “God, listen very carefully to what I say [DOU].
Hear my word diligently, And my declaration 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.
Now behold, I have set the cause in order, I have known that I am righteous.
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 strives with me? For now I keep silent and gasp.
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, O God, do with me, Then I am not hidden from Your face:
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.
Put Your hand far off from me, And do not let Your terror terrify me.
22 You speak [first], and then I will reply; or allow me to speak first, and [then] you reply.
And You call, and I answer, Or—I speak, and You answer me.
23 What have I done that is wrong? What sins have I committed? Show me how I have disobeyed you.
How many iniquities and sins do I have? Let me know my transgression and my sin.
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?
Why do You hide Your face? And reckon me for an enemy to You?
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]?
Do You terrify a leaf driven away? And do You pursue the 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.
For You write bitter things against me, And cause me to possess 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 you put my feet in the stocks, And observe all my paths—You set a print on the roots 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 he, as a rotten thing, wears away, A moth has consumed him as a garment.”
