Job 13
1 See, my eye has seen all this; my ear has heard and understood it.
Lo! all this mine eye hath seen; Mine ear hath heard and understood it.
2 What you know, the same I also know; I am not inferior to you.
What ye know, I know also; I am not inferior to you.
3 However, I would rather speak with the Almighty; I wish to reason with God.
But O that I might speak with the Almighty! O that I might reason with God!
4 But you whitewash the truth with lies; you are all physicians of no value.
For ye are forgers of lies; Physicians of no value, all of you!
5 Oh, that you would altogether hold your peace! That would be your wisdom.
O that ye would altogether hold your peace! This, truly, would be wisdom in you.
6 Hear now my own reasoning; listen to the pleading of my own lips.
Hear, I pray you, my arguments; Attend to the pleadings of my lips!
7 Will you speak unrighteously for God, and will you talk deceitfully for him?
Will ye speak falsehood for God? Will ye utter deceit for him?
8 Will you show him partiality? Will you argue the case for God?
Will ye be partial to his person? Will ye contend earnestly for God?
9 Will it be good for you when he searches you out? Could you deceive him as you might deceive men?
Will it be well for you, if he search you thoroughly? Can ye deceive him, as one may deceive a man?
10 He would surely reprove you if in secret you showed partiality.
Surely he will rebuke you, If ye secretly have respect to persons.
11 Will not his majesty terrify you, and the dread of him fall upon you?
Doth not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall upon you?
12 Your memorable sayings are proverbs made of ashes; your defenses are defenses made of clay.
Your maxims are words of dust; Your fortresses are fortresses of clay.
13 Hold your peace, let me alone, so that I may speak, let come what may on me.
Hold your peace, and let me speak: And then come upon me what will!
14 I will take my own flesh in my teeth; I will take my life in my hands.
Why do I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hand?
15 See, if he kills me, I will have no hope left; nevertheless, I will defend my ways before him.
Lo! he slayeth me, and I have no hope! Yet will I justify my ways before him.
16 This will be the reason for my deliverance, for no godless person would come before him.
This also shall be my deliverance; For no unrighteous man will come before him.
17 God, listen carefully to my speech; let my declaration come to your ears.
Hear attentively my words, And give ear to my declaration!
18 See now, I have set my defense in order; I know that I am innocent.
Behold, I have now set in order my cause; I know that I am innocent.
19 Who is the one who would argue against me in court? If you came to do so, and if I were proved wrong, then I would be silent and give up my life.
Who is he that can contend with me? For then would I hold my peace, and die!
20 God, do only two things for me, and then I will not hide myself from your face:
Only do not unto me two things, Then will I not hide myself from thy presence;
21 withdraw your oppressive hand from me, and do not let your terrors make me afraid.
Let not thy hand be heavy upon me, And let not thy terrors make me afraid:
22 Then call me, and I will answer; or let me speak to you, and you answer me.
Then call upon me, and I will answer; Or I will speak, and answer thou me.
23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Let me know my transgression and my sin.
How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me to know my faults and transgressions.
24 Why do you hide your face from me and treat me like your enemy?
Wherefore dost thou hide thy face, And account me as thine enemy?
25 Will you persecute a driven leaf? Will you pursue dry stubble?
Wilt thou put in fear the driven leaf? Wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
26 For you write down bitter things against me; you make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
For thou writest bitter things against me, And makest me inherit the sins of my youth.
27 You also put my feet in the stocks; you closely watch all my paths; you examine the ground where the soles of my feet have walked
Yea, thou puttest my feet in the stocks, And waterest all my paths; Thou hemmest in the soles of my feet.
28 although I am like a rotten thing that wastes away, like a garment that moths have eaten.
And I, like an abandoned thing, shall waste away; Like a garment which is moth-eaten.
