Job 13
1 Lo, all — hath mine eye seen, Heard hath mine ear, and it attendeth to it.
Behold my eye hath seen all these things, and my ear hath heard them, and I have understood them all.
2 According to your knowledge I have known — also I. I am not fallen more than you.
According to your knowledge I also know: neither am I inferior to you.
3 Yet I for the Mighty One do speak, And to argue for God I delight.
But yet I will speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
4 And yet, ye [are] forgers of falsehood, Physicians of nought — all of you,
Having first shewn that you are forgers of lies, and maintainers of perverse opinions.
5 O that ye would keep perfectly silent, And it would be to you for wisdom.
And I wish you would hold your peace, that you might be thought to be wise men.
6 Hear, I pray you, my argument, And to the pleadings of my lips attend,
Hear ye therefore my reproof, and attend to the judgment of my lips.
7 For God do ye speak perverseness? And for Him do ye speak deceit?
Hath God any need of your lie, that you should speak deceitfully for him?
8 His face do ye accept, if for God ye strive?
Do you accept his person, and do you endeavour to judge for God?
9 Is [it] good that He doth search you, If, as one mocketh at a man, ye mock at Him?
Or shall it please him, from whom nothing can be concealed? or shall he be deceived as a man, with your deceitful dealings?
10 He doth surely reprove you, if in secret ye accept faces.
He shall reprove you, because in secret you accept his person.
11 Doth not His excellency terrify you? And His dread fall upon you?
As soon as he shall move himself, he shall trouble you: and his dread shall fall upon you.
12 Your remembrances [are] similes of ashes, For high places of clay your heights.
Your remembrance shall be compared to ashes, and your necks shall be brought to clay.
13 Keep silent from me, and I speak, And pass over me doth what?
Hold your peace a little while, that I may speak whatsoever my mind shall suggest to me.
14 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth? And my soul put in my hand?
Why do I tear my flesh with my teeth, and carry my soul in my hands?
15 Lo, He doth slay me — I wait not! Only, my ways unto His face I argue.
Although he should bill me, I will trust in him: but yet I will reprove my ways in his sight.
16 Also — He [is] to me for salvation, For the profane cometh not before Him.
And he shall be my saviour: for no hypocrite shall come before his presence.
17 Hear ye diligently my word, And my declaration with your ears.
Hear ye my speech, and receive with Sour ears hidden truths.
18 Lo, I pray you, I have set in order the cause, I have known that I am righteous.
If I shall be judged, I know that I shall be found just.
19 Who [is] he that doth strive with me? For now I keep silent and gasp.
Who is he that will plead against me? let him come: why am I consumed holding my peace?
20 Only two things, O God, do with me: Then from Thy face I am not hidden.
Two things only do not to me, and then from thy face I shall not be hid:
21 Thy hand put far off from me, And Thy terror let not terrify me.
Withdraw thy hand far from me, and let not thy dread terrify me.
22 And call Thou, and I — I answer, Or — I speak, and answer Thou me.
Call me, and I will answer thee: or else I will speak, and do thou answer me.
23 How many iniquities and sins have I? My transgression and my sin let me know.
How many are my iniquities and sins? make me know my crimes and offences.
24 Why dost Thou hide Thy face? And reckonest me for an enemy to Thee?
Why hidest thou thy face, and thinkest me thy enemy?
25 A leaf driven away dost Thou terrify? And the dry stubble dost Thou pursue?
Against a leaf, that is carried away with the wind, thou shewest thy power, and thou pursuest a dry straw.
26 For Thou writest against me bitter things, And causest me to possess iniquities of my youth:
For thou writest bitter things against me, and wilt consume me for 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,
Thou hast put my feet in the stocks, and hast observed all my paths, and hast considered the steps of my feet:
28 And he, as a rotten thing, weareth away, As a garment hath a moth consumed him.
Who am to be consumed as rottenness, and as a garment that is moth-eaten.
