Job 13

1 “Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it.

“Hey, I [SYN] have seen everything [that you have seen], and I have heard and understood all [that you have said].

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

What you know, I also know; I do (not know less than/know as much as) you.

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

But I would like to speak to Almighty God, [not to you]; I would like to argue with him [and prove that I (am innocent/have not done things that are wrong]).

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

As for you, you do not allow people to know the truth about me, like someone covers [up a bad surface of a wall] with whitewash [MET]. You are all like doctors [MET] [that give people] useless [medicines].

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

I wish/desire that you would be silent; that would be the wisest thing that you [could do].

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

Listen to what I will say to you now; listen while I am saying [what is true about myself].

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

Are you telling lies about me to prove God [is just in causing me to suffer]? Are you saying what is deceitful in order to benefit him?

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

Are you trying to defend him? Are you trying to prove [as you would] in a court that he is innocent?

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

If he looks closely, will he find that everything that you have done is good? Or can you deceive him, like you deceive other people?

10 He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.

If you secretly say/do things to cause God to act favorably toward you, he will surely rebuke you.

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

He will certainly [RHQ] cause you to be terrified by his power/greatness; you will become extremely afraid.

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

The things that you say [that you think are] wise are [as useless as] [MET] as ashes; what you say to defend your opinions is no better than [MET] clay [that quickly crumbles].

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

“So, be quiet and allow me to speak, and then it will not matter what happens to me.

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

I am ready to endure anything; I am [even] willing to risk being executed [IDM, DOU] [for what I will say].

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

If God kills me, then I will not have anyone else whom I can confidently expect to help me, but I am going to defend my behavior in his presence [anyway].

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

No wicked/godless person would dare to stand in the presence of God, [but because I say that I have not done things that are wrong], perhaps, if I can prove that to God, he will save me.”

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

“God, listen very carefully to what I say [DOU].

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

I am ready to prove that I am innocent, and I know that you also will declare that I am not guilty.

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

I certainly do not think [RHQ] that [you or anyone else] will say that what I say is not true; if anyone did that, I would (be silent/stop talking) and die.

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

“I am requesting you to do two things for me; if you do them, I will (not hide from you/come and stand in front of you) [LIT].

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

[The first thing that I request is that you] stop punishing [IDM] me; and [the second thing that I request is that you] stop causing me to be very terrified.

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

You speak [first], and then I will reply; or allow me to speak first, and [then] you reply.

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

What have I done that is wrong? What sins have I committed? Show me how I have disobeyed you.

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

Why (do you refuse to be friendly with/have you abandoned) me [IDM]? Why do you (act toward me as though I am/consider me to be) your enemy?

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

I am [as insignificant as] [MET] a leaf that is blown by the wind; why are you trying to cause me to be afraid [RHQ]? Why are you pursuing me? Am I [useless, nothing more than a bit of] dry chaff [RHQ]?

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

[It seems that] you are writing things to accuse me [of doing things that are wrong], even recalling bad things that I did when I was young.

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

[It is as though] you have fastened my feet with chains [to prevent me from walking], and you watch me wherever I walk; [It is as though] you even look closely at my footprints [to see where I have gone].

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

[As a result], my body is decaying like [SIM] rotten wood, like a piece of cloth that is eaten by [larvae of] moths.”