1 ¶ Behold, my eyes have seen all this; my ears have heard and understood it.

Lo, mine eye hath seen all, mine ear hath heard and understood it.

2 A s you know it, I know it; I am not inferior unto you.

What ye know, I know also: I am not inferior to you.

3 B ut I would speak with the Almighty, and I desired to dispute with God.

But I will speak to the Almighty, and will find pleasure in reasoning with God;

4 T hat ye are certainly forgers of lies; ye are all physicians of no value.

For ye indeed are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

5 O that ye would altogether be silent! And it would be unto you instead of wisdom.

Oh that ye would be altogether silent! and it would be your wisdom.

6 H ear now my dispute, and hearken to the arguments of my lips.

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

7 A re ye to speak iniquity for God? Are ye to speak deceitfully for him?

Will ye speak unrighteously for God? and for him speak deceit?

8 A re ye to bring honour unto him? Are ye to contend for God?

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

9 W ould it be good for him to search you out? As one man mocks another, do ye so mock him?

Will it be well if he should search you out? or as one mocketh at a man, will ye mock at him?

10 H e will reprove you severely, if in secret you give him such honour.

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

11 C ertainly his excellency should make you afraid, and his dread should fall upon you.

Shall not his excellency terrify you? and his dread fall upon you?

12 Y our memories shall be compared unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, your bulwarks are bulwarks of mire.

13 ¶ Listen to me, and I will speak, and afterward let come on me what will.

Hold your peace from me, and I will speak, and let come on me what!

14 W hy shall I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in the palm of my hand?

Wherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?

15 T hough he slay me, yet I will trust in him; but I will defend my ways before him.

Behold, if he slay me, yet would I trust in him; but I will defend mine own ways before him.

16 H e also shall be my saving health; for the hypocrite shall not enter into his presence.

This also shall be my salvation, that a profane man shall not come before his face.

17 H ear diligently my reason and my declaration with your ears.

Hear attentively my speech and my declaration with your ears.

18 B ehold now, if I draw near unto the judgment; I know that I shall be justified.

Behold now, I have ordered the cause; I know that I shall be justified.

19 W ho is he that will contend with me? For now, if I remain silent, I shall die.

Who is he that contendeth with me? For if I were silent now, I should expire.

20 A t the least, grant me these two things; then I will not hide myself from thee:

Only do not two things unto me; then will I not hide myself from thee.

21 w ithdraw thy hand from me; and let not thy dread make me afraid.

Withdraw thy hand far from me; and let not thy terror make me afraid:

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

Then call, and I will answer; or I will speak, and answer thou me.

23 ¶ How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin.

How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin.

24 W hy dost thou hide thy face, and hold me for thine enemy?

Wherefore dost thou hide thy face, and countest me for thine enemy?

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

Wilt thou terrify a driven leaf? and wilt thou pursue dry stubble?

26 W hy dost thou write bitter things against me and make me carry the iniquities of my youth.

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

27 T hou dost put my feet also in the stocks and look narrowly unto all my paths; thou dost set a print upon the heels of my feet.

And thou puttest my feet in the stocks, and markest all my paths; thou settest a bound about the soles of my feet;—

28 A nd man, is as a rotten thing that is being consumed, as a garment that is moth eaten.

One who, as a rotten thing consumeth, as a garment that the moth eateth.