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!

O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should 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 wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

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

Will ye accept his person? 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 man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

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

He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.

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

Shall not his excellency 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 remembrances are like 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.

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 do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

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

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own 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 salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

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

Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.

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

Behold now, I have ordered my cause; 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 plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall 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 thee.

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

Withdraw thine hand far 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 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 break a leaf driven to and fro? 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 possess 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 lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest 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 he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.