Job 13

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

“Behold, 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, I know also. I am not inferior to you.

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

But you are forgers of 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 be completely silent! Then you would be wise.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.

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

Won’t his majesty make you afraid and his dread fall on you?

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

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

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

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

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

Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?

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

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

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

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

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

Listen carefully to my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.

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

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

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

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

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

“Only don’t do two things to me, 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 hand far from me, and don’t let your terror make me afraid.

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

Then call, and I will answer, or let me speak, 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? Make me know my disobedience and my sin.

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

Why do you hide your face, and consider me your enemy?

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

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

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

For you write bitter things against me, and 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, and mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet,

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

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