Job 13
1 Lo, all — hath mine eye seen, Heard hath mine ear, and it attendeth to it.
Behold, mine eye has seen these things, and mine ear has heard [them].
2 According to your knowledge I have known — also I. I am not fallen more than you.
And I know all that ye too know; and I have not less understanding than you.
3 Yet I for the Mighty One do speak, And to argue for God I delight.
Nevertheless I will speak to the Lord, and I will reason before him, if he will.
4 And yet, ye [are] forgers of falsehood, Physicians of nought — all of you,
But ye are all bad physicians, and healers of diseases.
5 O that ye would keep perfectly silent, And it would be to you for wisdom.
But would that ye were silent, and it would be wisdom to you in the end.
6 Hear, I pray you, my argument, And to the pleadings of my lips attend,
But hear ye the reasoning of my mouth, and attend to the judgment of my lips.
7 For God do ye speak perverseness? And for Him do ye speak deceit?
Do ye not speak before the Lord, and utter deceit before him?
8 His face do ye accept, if for God ye strive?
Or will ye draw back? nay do, ye yourselves be judges.
9 Is [it] good that He doth search you, If, as one mocketh at a man, ye mock at Him?
For [it were] well if he would thoroughly search you: for though doing all things [in your power] ye should attach yourselves to him,
10 He doth surely reprove you, if in secret ye accept faces.
he will not reprove you at all the less: but if moreover ye should secretly respect persons,
11 Doth not His excellency terrify you? And His dread fall upon you?
shall not his whirlpool sweep you round, and terror from him fall upon you?
12 Your remembrances [are] similes of ashes, For high places of clay your heights.
And your glorying shall prove in the end to you like ashes, and your body [like a body] of clay.
13 Keep silent from me, and I speak, And pass over me doth what?
Be silent, that I may speak, and cease from [mine] anger,
14 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth? And my soul put in my hand?
while I may take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand.
15 Lo, He doth slay me — I wait not! Only, my ways unto His face I argue.
Though the Mighty One should lay hand upon me, forasmuch as he has begun, verily I will speak, and plead before him.
16 Also — He [is] to me for salvation, For the profane cometh not before Him.
And this shall turn to me for salvation; for fraud shall have no entrance before him.
17 Hear ye diligently my word, And my declaration with your ears.
Hear, hear ye my words, for I will declare in your hearing.
18 Lo, I pray you, I have set in order the cause, I have known that I am righteous.
Behold, I am near my judgment: I know that I shall appear evidently just.
19 Who [is] he that doth strive with me? For now I keep silent and gasp.
For who is he that shall plead with me, that I should now be silent, and expire?
20 Only two things, O God, do with me: Then from Thy face I am not hidden.
But grant me two things: then I will not hide myself from thy face.
21 Thy hand put far off from me, And Thy terror let not terrify me.
Withhold [thine] hand from me: and let not thy fear terrify me.
22 And call Thou, and I — I answer, Or — I speak, and answer Thou me.
Then shalt thou call, and I will hearken to thee: or thou shalt speak, and I will give thee an answer.
23 How many iniquities and sins have I? My transgression and my sin let me know.
How many are my sins and my transgressions? teach me what they are.
24 Why dost Thou hide Thy face? And reckonest me for an enemy to Thee?
Wherefore hidest thou thyself from me, and deemest me thine enemy?
25 A leaf driven away dost Thou terrify? And the dry stubble dost Thou pursue?
Wilt thou be startled [at me], as [at] a leaf shaken by the wind? or wilt thou set thyself against me as against grass borne upon the breeze?
26 For Thou writest against me bitter things, And causest me to possess iniquities of my youth:
for thou hast written evil things against me, and thou hast compassed me with the sins of my youth.
27 And puttest in the stocks my feet, And observest all my paths, On the roots of my feet Thou settest a print,
And thou hast placed my foot in the stocks; and thou hast watched all my works, and hast penetrated my heels.
28 And he, as a rotten thing, weareth away, As a garment hath a moth consumed him.
[I am as] that which waxes old like a bottle, or like a moth-eaten garment.
