Job 13
1 “Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it.
Lo! all [this], hath mine own eye seen, —Mine ear hath heard and understood it:
2 What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you.
Just as ye know, I too, know, I, fall not short, of you.
3 “Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God.
But indeed, I, unto the Almighty, would speak, and, to direct my argument unto GOD, would I be well pleased.
4 But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value.
For, in truth, ye, do besmear with falsehood, Worthless physicians, all of you!
5 Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise.
Oh that ye would, altogether hold your peace, and it should serve you for wisdom!
6 Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips.
Hear, I pray you, the argument of my mouth, and, to the pleadings of my lips, give heed: —
7 Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?
Is it, for God, ye would speak perversely? And, for him, would ye speak deceit:
8 Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?
Even, for him, would ye be partial? Or, for GOD, would ye [so] plead?
9 Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?
Would it be well, when he searched you out? Or, as one might jest with a mortal, would ye jest, with him?
10 He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.
He will, severely rebuke, you, if ye are secretly partial.
11 Won’t his majesty make you afraid and his dread fall on you?
Shall not, his majesty, overwhelm you? and, the dread of him, fall upon you?
12 Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes. Your defenses are defenses of clay.
Are not your memorable sayings, proverbs of ashes? Breastworks of clay, your breastworks?
13 “Be silent! Leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.
Quietly let me alone, that, I, may speak out, then let come on me, what may.
14 Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?
In any case, I will take up my flesh in my teeth, and, my life, will I put in my hand:
15 Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.
Lo! he may slay me, [yet], for him, will I wait, —Nevertheless, my ways—unto his face, will I show to be right:
16 This also will be my salvation, that a godless man will not come before him.
Even he, will be on my side—unto salvation, For, not before his face, shall any impious person come.
17 Listen carefully to my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.
Hear ye patiently my speech, and be my declaration in your ears.
18 See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.
Lo! I pray you, I have set forth in order a plea, I know that, I, shall be found right.
19 Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.
Who is it that shall contend with me? For, now, if I should hold my peace, why! I should breathe my last!
20 “Only don’t do two things to me, then I will not hide myself from your face:
Only, two things, do thou not with me, then, from thy face, will I not hide me: —
21 withdraw your hand far from me, and don’t let your terror make me afraid.
Thy hand—from off me, take thou far away, and, thy terror, let it not startle me!
22 Then call, and I will answer, or let me speak, and you answer me.
Then call thou, and, I, will answer, Or I will speak, and reply thou unto me.
23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin.
How many are mine iniquities and sins? My transgression and my sin, let me know!
24 Why do you hide your face, and consider me your enemy?
Wherefore, thy face, shouldst thou hide? Or count me, as an enemy to thee?
25 Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble?
A driven leaf, wilt thou cause to tremble? Or, dry stubble, wilt thou pursue?
26 For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
For thou writest, against me, bitter things, and dost make me inherit 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 dost put—in the stocks—my feet, and observest all my paths, Against the roots of my feet, thou dost cut out a bound;
28 though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
And, a man himself, as a rotten thing, weareth out, as a garment which the moth hath eaten.
