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 know also. I am not inferior to you.

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

“Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God.

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

But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value.

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

Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise.

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

Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips.

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

Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?

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

Will you show partiality to 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?

Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?

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?

Shall not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread 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.

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

“Be silent, leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.

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 hand?

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

Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.

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

This also shall be my salvation, that a godless man shall not come before him.

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

Hear diligently my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.

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

See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.

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

Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.

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

“Only don’t do two things to me; then I will not hide myself from your face:

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

withdraw your hand far from me; and don’t let your terror make me afraid.

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, and you answer 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 me know my disobedience and my sin.

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

Why hide you your face, and hold me for your enemy?

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

Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble?

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 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 also put my feet in the stocks, and mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet,

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

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