< 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 — hath mine eye seen, Heard hath mine ear, and it attendeth 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 fallen more 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 for the Mighty One do speak, And to argue for God I delight.
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, ye [are] forgers of falsehood, Physicians of nought — all of you,
5 I wish/desire that you would be silent; that would be the wisest thing that you [could do].
O that ye 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].
Hear, I pray you, my argument, And to the pleadings of my lips attend,
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?
For God do ye speak perverseness? And for Him do ye speak deceit?
8 Are you trying to defend him? Are you trying to prove [as you would] in a court that he is innocent?
His face do ye accept, if for God ye strive?
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 doth search you, If, as one mocketh at a man, ye mock at Him?
10 If you secretly say/do things to cause God to act favorably toward you, he will surely rebuke you.
He doth surely reprove you, if in secret ye accept faces.
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].
Your remembrances [are] similes of ashes, For high places of clay 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 doth what?
14 I am ready to endure anything; I am [even] willing to risk being executed [IDM, DOU] [for what I will say].
Wherefore 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].
Lo, He doth slay me — I wait not! Only, my ways unto His face I argue.
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 cometh not before Him.
17 “God, listen very carefully to what I say [DOU].
Hear ye diligently my word, 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.
Lo, I pray you, I have set in order the cause, 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 doth strive 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 from Thy face I am not hidden.
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.
Thy hand put far off from me, And Thy terror let not terrify me.
22 You speak [first], and then I will reply; or allow me to speak first, and [then] you reply.
And call Thou, and I — I answer, Or — I speak, and answer Thou 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 have I? 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?
Why dost Thou hide Thy face? And reckonest me for an enemy to 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]?
A leaf driven away dost Thou terrify? And the dry stubble dost Thou pursue?
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 against me bitter things, And causest 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 puttest in the stocks my feet, And observest all my paths, On the roots of my feet Thou settest a print,
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, weareth away, As a garment hath a moth consumed him.