Job 13

1 “Indeed, my eyes have seen all this; my ears have heard and understood.

2 What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.

3 Yet I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God.

4 You, however, smear with lies; you are all worthless physicians.

5 If only you would remain silent; for that would be your wisdom!

6 Hear now my argument, and listen to the plea of my lips.

7 Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf or speak deceitfully for Him?

8 Would you show Him partiality or argue in His defense?

9 Would it be well when He examined you? Could you deceive Him as you would deceive a man?

10 Surely He would rebuke you if you secretly showed partiality.

11 Would His majesty not terrify you? Would the dread of Him not fall upon you?

12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.

13 Be silent, and I will speak. Then let come to me what may.

14 Why do I put myself at risk and take my life in my own hands?

15 Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways to His face.

16 Moreover, this will be my salvation, for no godless man can appear before Him.

17 Listen carefully to my words; let my declaration ring in your ears.

18 See now, I have prepared my case; I know that I will be vindicated.

19 Can anyone indict me? If so, I will be silent and die.

20 Only grant these two things to me, so that I need not hide from You:

21 Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me.

22 Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and You can reply.

23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Reveal to me my transgression and sin.

24 Why do You hide Your face and consider me as Your enemy?

25 Would You frighten a windblown leaf? Would You chase after dry chaff?

26 For You record bitter accusations against me and bequeath to me the iniquities of my youth.

27 You put my feet in the stocks and stand watch over all my paths; You set a limit for the soles of my feet.

28 So man wastes away like something rotten, like a moth-eaten garment.

1 ¶ Lo, mine eye hath seen all [this], mine ear hath heard and understood it.

2 What ye know, [the same] do I know also: I [am] not inferior unto you.

3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

4 But ye [are] forgers of lies, ye [are] all physicians of no value.

5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye [so] mock him?

10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.

11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?

12 Your remembrances [are] like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

13 ¶ Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what [will].

14 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

16 He also [shall be] my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.

18 Behold now, I have ordered [my] cause; I know that I shall be justified.

19 Who [is] he [that] will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.

20 Only do not two [things] unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.

21 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.

22 Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

23 ¶ How many [are] mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

25 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.

28 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.

1 Behold, mine eye hath seen all these things, mine ear hath heard them, and I have understood them.

2 What ye know, that know I also, and am not less than ye.

3 But I would gladly speak against the Almighty, and I would gladly be right with God.

4 For ye interpret it falsely, and are all useless physicians.

5 If God willed that ye should be sworn, ye would be wise.

6 Hear ye my sentence, and mark the thing of which I speak.

7 Will ye defend GOD with unrighteousness, and use guile for him?

8 Will ye look upon his person? Do you want to represent God?

9 And shall it be well with you, when he shall judge you? Do ye think that ye shall deceive him, as a man is deceived?

10 He will punish you where ye look upon a person secretly.

11 Will he not terrify you when he shall stand forth, and his fear shall fall upon you?

12 Your memory shall be likened unto ashes, and your back shall be as a heap of glue.

13 Keep silence from me, that I may speak: I shall not want.

14 Why should I bite my flesh with my teeth, and put my soul into my hands?

15 Behold, he shall slay me, and I cannot wait: but I will punish my ways before him.

16 He shall be my salvation: for there shall no hypocrite come before him.

17 Hear my speech and my interpretation in your ears.

18 Behold, I have already pronounced judgment; I know that I shall be just.

19 Who is he that will be right with me? But now I must be silent and perish.

20 Only do not two things to me, and I will not hide myself from thee:

21 Let thy hand be far from me, and let not thy terror terrify me.

22 Call unto me, and I will answer thee: or I will speak, answer thou me.

23 How much is my iniquity and my sin? Let me know my transgression and sin!

24 Why hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

25 Wilt thou be so earnest against a flying leaf, and pursue a scrawny stalk?

26 For thou writest me in affliction, and wilt destroy me for the sins of my youth.

27 Thou hast put my foot in staves, and hast watched all my paths, and hast seen the footsteps of my feet,

28 I am wasting away like a rotten carcass, and like a garment that is eaten by moths.