Job 13
1 “Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it.
Lo, mine eye hath seen all [this], mine ear hath heard and understood it.
2 What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you.
What ye know, I know also: I am not inferior to you.
3 “Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God.
But I will speak to the Almighty, and will find pleasure in reasoning with God;
4 But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value.
For ye indeed are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
5 Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise.
Oh that ye would be altogether silent! and it would be your wisdom.
6 Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips.
Hear now my defence, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?
Will ye speak unrighteously for God? and for him speak deceit?
8 Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?
Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
9 Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?
Will it be well if he should search you out? or as one mocketh at a man, will ye mock at him?
10 He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.
He will certainly reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
11 Won’t his majesty make you afraid and his dread fall on you?
Shall not his excellency terrify you? and his dread fall upon you?
12 Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes. Your defences are defences of clay.
Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, your bulwarks are bulwarks of mire.
13 “Be silent! Leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.
Hold your peace from me, and I will speak, and let come on me what [will]!
14 Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?
Wherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?
15 Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.
Behold, if he slay me, yet would I trust in him; but I will defend mine own ways before him.
16 This also will be my salvation, that a godless man will not come before him.
This also shall be my salvation, that a profane man shall not come before his face.
17 Listen carefully to my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.
Hear attentively my speech and my declaration with your ears.
18 See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.
Behold now, I have ordered the cause; I know that I shall be justified.
19 Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.
Who is he that contendeth with me? For if I were silent now, I should expire.
20 “Only don’t do two things to me, then I will not hide myself from your face:
Only do not two things unto me; then will I not hide myself from thee.
21 withdraw your hand far from me, and don’t let your terror make me afraid.
Withdraw thy hand far from me; and let not thy terror make me afraid:
22 Then call, and I will answer, or let me speak, and you answer me.
Then call, and I will answer; or I will speak, and answer thou me.
23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin.
How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin.
24 Why do you hide your face, and consider me your enemy?
Wherefore dost thou hide thy face, and countest me for thine enemy?
25 Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble?
Wilt thou terrify a driven leaf? and wilt thou pursue dry stubble?
26 For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth;
27 You also put my feet in the stocks, and mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet,
And thou puttest my feet in the stocks, and markest all my paths; thou settest a bound about the soles of my feet; —
28 though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
One who, as a rotten thing consumeth, as a garment that the moth eateth.
