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

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

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

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

4 B ut you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value.

That ye are certainly forgers of lies; ye are all physicians of no value.

5 O h that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise.

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

6 H ear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips.

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

7 W ill you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?

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

8 W ill you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?

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

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

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

10 H e will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.

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

11 S hall not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall on you?

Certainly his excellency should make you afraid, and his dread should fall upon you.

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

Your memories shall be compared unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

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

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

14 W hy should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?

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

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

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

16 T his also shall be my salvation, that a godless man shall not come before him.

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

17 H ear diligently my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.

Hear diligently my reason and my declaration with your ears.

18 S ee now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.

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

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

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

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

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

21 w ithdraw your hand far from me; and don’t let your terror make me afraid.

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

22 T hen call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and you answer me.

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

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

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

24 W hy hide you your face, and hold me for your enemy?

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

25 W ill you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble?

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

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

Why dost thou write bitter things against me and make me carry the iniquities of my youth.

27 Y ou also put my feet in the stocks, and mark all my paths. You set a bound to 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 t hough 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.