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

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

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

As you know it, I know it; I am not inferior unto you.

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

But I would speak with the Almighty, and I desired to dispute with God.

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

That ye are certainly 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!

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

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

Hear now my dispute, and hearken to the arguments of my lips.

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

Are ye to speak iniquity for God? Are ye to speak deceitfully for him?

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

Are ye to bring honour unto him? Are ye to contend for God?

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

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

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

He will reprove you severely, if in secret you give him such honour.

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

Certainly his excellency should make you afraid, and his dread should 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 memories shall be compared unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

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

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

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

Why shall I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in the palm of my hand?

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

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

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

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

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

Hear diligently my reason and my declaration with your ears.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

withdraw thy hand from me; and let not thy dread make me afraid.

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 answer thou 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 to know my transgression and my sin.

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

Why dost thou hide thy face, and hold me for thine enemy?

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

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

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

Why dost thou write bitter things against me and make me carry 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 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.

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

And man, is as a rotten thing that is being consumed, as a garment that is moth eaten.