1 L o, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.

“ Behold, my eye has seen all this, My ear has heard and understood it.

2 W hat ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.

“ What you know I also know; I am not inferior to you.

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

“But I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to argue with God.

4 B ut ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

“But you smear with lies; You are all worthless physicians.

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

“O that you would be completely silent, And that it would become your wisdom!

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

“Please hear my argument And listen to the contentions of my lips.

7 W ill ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

“Will you speak what is unjust for God, And speak what is deceitful for Him?

8 W ill ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

“Will you show partiality for Him? Will you contend for God?

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

“Will it be well when He examines you? Or will you deceive Him as one deceives a man?

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

“He will surely reprove you If you secretly show partiality.

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

“Will not His majesty terrify you, And the dread of Him fall on you?

12 Y our remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

“Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay. Job Is Sure He Will Be Vindicated

13 H old your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

“ Be silent before me so that I may speak; Then let come on me what may.

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

“Why should I take my flesh in my teeth And put my life in my hands?

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

“ Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.

16 H e also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

“This also will be my salvation, For a godless man may not come before His presence.

17 H ear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.

“Listen carefully to my speech, And let my declaration fill your ears.

18 B ehold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.

“Behold now, I have prepared my case; I know that I will be vindicated.

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

“ Who will contend with me? For then I would be silent and die.

20 O nly do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.

“Only two things do not do to me, Then I will not hide from Your face:

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

Remove Your hand from me, And let not the dread of You terrify me.

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

“Then call, and I will answer; Or let me speak, then reply to me.

23 H ow many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

“ How many are my iniquities and sins? Make known to me my rebellion and my sin.

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

“Why do You hide Your face And consider me Your enemy?

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

“Will You cause a driven leaf to tremble? Or will You pursue the dry chaff?

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

“For You write bitter things against me And make me to inherit the iniquities of my youth.

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

“You put my feet in the stocks And watch all my paths; You set a limit for the soles of my feet,

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

While I am decaying like a rotten thing, Like a garment that is moth-eaten.