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

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

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

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

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

Surely I wish to speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue and reason my case with God.

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

But you are forgers of lies; you are all physicians of no value and have no remedy to offer.

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

Oh, that you would altogether hold your peace! Then you would evidence your wisdom and you might pass for wise men.

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

Hear now my reasoning, and listen to the pleadings of my lips.

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

Will you speak unrighteously for God and talk deceitfully for Him?

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

Will you show partiality to Him ? Will you act as special pleaders for God?

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

Would it be profitable for you if He should investigate your tactics ? Or as one deceives and mocks a man, do you deceive and mock Him?

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

He will surely reprove you if you do secretly show partiality.

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

Shall not His majesty make you afraid, and should not your awe for Him restrain you?

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

Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.

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

Hold your peace! Let me alone, so I may speak; and let come on me what may.

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

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

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

behold, He will slay me; I have no hope—nevertheless, I will maintain and argue my ways before Him and even to His face.

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

This will be my salvation, that a polluted and godless man shall not come before Him.

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

Listen diligently to my speech, and let my declaration be in your ears.

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

Behold now, I have prepared my case; I know that I shall be justified and vindicated.

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

Who is he who will argue against and refute me? For then I would hold my peace and expire.

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

Only grant two conditions to me, and then will I not hide myself from You:

21 R emove Your hand from me, And let not the dread of You terrify me.

Withdraw Your hand and take this bodily suffering far from me; and let not my dread of You terrify me.

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

Then call and I will answer, or let me speak, and You answer me.

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

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

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

Why do You hide Your face and alienate me as if I were Your enemy?

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

Will You harass and frighten a leaf driven to and fro, and will You pursue the chaff of the dry stubble?

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

For You write bitter things against me and make me inherit and be accountable now for the iniquities of my youth.

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

You put my feet also in the stocks and observe critically all my paths; You set a circle and limit around the soles of my feet.

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

And he wastes away as a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.