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

Lo, all -- hath mine eye seen, Heard hath mine ear, and it attendeth to it.

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

According to your knowledge I have known -- also I. I am not fallen more than you.

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

Yet I for the Mighty One do speak, And to argue for God I delight.

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

And yet, ye forgers of falsehood, Physicians of nought -- all of you,

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

O that ye would keep perfectly silent, And it would be to you for wisdom.

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

Hear, I pray you, my argument, And to the pleadings of my lips attend,

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

For God do ye speak perverseness? And for Him do ye speak deceit?

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

His face do ye accept, if for God ye strive?

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

Is good that He doth search you, If, as one mocketh at a man, ye mock at Him?

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

He doth surely reprove you, if in secret ye accept faces.

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

Doth 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 remembrances similes of ashes, For high places of clay your heights.

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

Keep silent from me, and I speak, And pass over me doth what?

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

Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth? And my soul put in my hand?

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

Lo, He doth slay me -- I wait not! Only, my ways unto His face I argue.

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

Also -- He to me for salvation, For the profane cometh not before Him.

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

Hear ye diligently my word, And my declaration with your ears.

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

Lo, I pray you, I have set in order the cause, I have known that I am righteous.

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

Who he that doth strive with me? For now I keep silent and gasp.

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

Only two things, O God, do with me: Then from Thy face I am not hidden.

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

Thy hand put far off from me, And Thy terror let not terrify me.

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

And call Thou, and I -- I answer, Or -- I speak, and answer Thou me.

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

How many iniquities and sins have I? My transgression and my sin let me know.

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

Why dost Thou hide Thy face? And reckonest me for an enemy to Thee?

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

A leaf driven away dost Thou terrify? And the dry stubble dost Thou pursue?

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

For Thou writest against me bitter things, And causest me to possess 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 puttest in the stocks my feet, And observest all my paths, On the roots of my feet Thou settest a print,

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

And he, as a rotten thing, weareth away, As a garment hath a moth consumed him.