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 W hat you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.

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

3 B ut I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to reason with God.

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

4 B ut you forgers of lies, You are all worthless physicians.

But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value.

5 O h, that you would be silent, And it would be your wisdom!

Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise.

6 N ow hear my reasoning, And heed the pleadings of my lips.

Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips.

7 W ill you speak wickedly for God, And talk deceitfully for Him?

Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?

8 W ill you show partiality for Him? Will you contend for God?

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

9 W ill it be well when He searches you out? Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man?

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

10 H e will surely rebuke you If you secretly show partiality.

He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.

11 W ill not His excellence make you afraid, And the dread of Him fall upon you?

Shall not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall on you?

12 Y our platitudes are proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay.

Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay.

13 “ Hold your peace with me, and let me speak, Then let come on me what may!

“Be silent, leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.

14 W hy do 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 hand?

15 T hough He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.

Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.

16 H e also shall be my salvation, For a hypocrite could not come before Him.

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

17 L isten carefully to my speech, And to my declaration with your ears.

Hear diligently my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.

18 S ee now, I have prepared my case, I know that I shall be vindicated.

See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.

19 W ho is he who will contend with me? If now I hold my tongue, I perish. Job’s Despondent Prayer

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

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

“Only don’t do two things to me; then I will not hide myself from your face:

21 W ithdraw Your hand far from me, And let not the dread of You make me afraid.

withdraw your hand far from me; and don’t let your terror make me afraid.

22 T hen call, and I will answer; Or let me speak, then You respond to me.

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

23 H ow many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin.

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

24 W hy do You hide Your face, And regard me as Your enemy?

Why hide you your face, and hold me for your enemy?

25 W ill You frighten a leaf driven to and fro? And will You pursue dry stubble?

Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble?

26 F or You write bitter things against me, And make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.

For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth:

27 Y ou put my feet in the stocks, And watch closely all my paths. You set a limit for the soles of my feet.

You also put my feet in the stocks, and mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet,

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

though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.