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 reason with God.

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

But you forgers of lies, You are all worthless physicians.

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

Oh, that you would be silent, And it would be your wisdom!

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

Now hear my reasoning, And heed the pleadings of my lips.

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

Will you speak wickedly for God, And talk deceitfully 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 searches you out? Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man?

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

He will surely rebuke you If you secretly show partiality.

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

Will not His excellence make you afraid, And the dread of Him fall upon you?

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

Your platitudes 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.

“Hold your peace with me, and let me 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 do 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, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.

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

He also shall be my salvation, For a hypocrite could not come before Him.

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

Listen carefully to my speech, And to my declaration with your ears.

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

See now, I have prepared my case, I know that I shall 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 is he who will contend with me? If now I hold my tongue, I perish. Job’s Despondent Prayer

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 myself from You:

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

Withdraw Your hand far from me, And let not the dread of You 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, then You respond 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 me know my transgression and my sin.

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

Why do You hide Your face, And regard me as Your enemy?

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

Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro? And will You pursue 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 put my feet in the stocks, And watch closely 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.

“ Man decays like a rotten thing, Like a garment that is moth-eaten.