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

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

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

What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.

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

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

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

But ye are forgers of lies; Ye are all physicians of no value.

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

Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! And it would be your wisdom.

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

Hear now my reasoning, And hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

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

Will ye speak unrighteously for God, And talk deceitfully for him?

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

Will ye show partiality to him? Will ye contend for God?

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

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

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

He will surely reprove you If ye 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 his dread fall upon 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 defences are defences 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, that I may speak; And let come on me what will.

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

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

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 my ways before him.

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

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

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

Hear diligently 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 set my cause in order; I know that I am righteous.

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

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

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

Only do not two things unto me; Then will I not hide myself from thy face:

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

Withdraw thy hand far from me; And let not thy terror make me afraid.

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

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

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

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

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

Wherefore hidest thou thy face, And holdest me for thine enemy?

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

Wilt thou harass a driven leaf? And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

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

For thou writest bitter things against me, And makest me to inherit 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,

Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, And markest all my paths; Thou settest a bound to the soles of my feet:

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

Though I am like a rotten thing that consumeth, Like a garment that is moth-eaten.