Job 13

1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all [this], mine ear hath heard and understood it.

See, my eye has seen all this; my ear has heard and understood it.

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

What you know, the same I also know; I am not inferior to you.

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

However, I would rather speak with the Almighty; I wish to reason with God.

4 But ye [are] forgers of lies, ye [are] all physicians of no value.

But you whitewash the truth with lies; you are all physicians of no value.

5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

Oh, that you would altogether hold your peace! That would be your wisdom.

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

Hear now my own reasoning; listen to the pleading of my own lips.

7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

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

8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

Will you show him partiality? Will you argue the case for God?

9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye [so] mock him?

Will it be good for you when he searches you out? Could you deceive him as you might deceive men?

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

He would surely reprove you if in secret you showed partiality.

11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?

Will not his majesty terrify you, and the dread of him fall upon you?

12 Your remembrances [are] like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

Your memorable sayings are proverbs made of ashes; your defenses are defenses made of clay.

13 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what [will].

Hold your peace, let me alone, so that I may speak, let come what may on me.

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

I will take my own flesh in my teeth; I will take my life in my hands.

15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

See, if he kills me, I will have no hope left; nevertheless, I will defend my ways before him.

16 He also [shall be] my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

This will be the reason for my deliverance, for no godless person would come before him.

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

God, listen carefully to my speech; let my declaration come to your ears.

18 Behold now, I have ordered [my] cause; I know that I shall be justified.

See now, I have set my defense in order; I know that I am innocent.

19 Who [is] he [that] will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.

Who is the one who would argue against me in court? If you came to do so, and if I were proved wrong, then I would be silent and give up my life.

20 Only do not two [things] unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.

God, do only two things for me, and then I will not hide myself from your face:

21 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.

withdraw your oppressive hand from me, and do not let your terrors make me afraid.

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

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

23 How many [are] mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

How many are my iniquities and sins? Let me know my transgression and my sin.

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

Why do you hide your face from me and treat me like your enemy?

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

Will you persecute a driven leaf? Will you pursue dry stubble?

26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

For you write down bitter things against me; you make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.

27 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.

You also put my feet in the stocks; you closely watch all my paths; you examine the ground where the soles of my feet have walked

28 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.

although I am like a rotten thing that wastes away, like a garment that moths have eaten.