Job 13

1 Lo, my eye hath seen all this, my ear hath 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 ye know, the same do 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, and 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 ye are forgers of lies, ye 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 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

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

6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken 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 ye speak wickedly 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 ye accept his person? will ye 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 man mocketh another, do ye so mock 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 ye do secretly accept persons.

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

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

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

12 Your remembrances are like ashes, your bodies to bodies 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 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and 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 do 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 Though he shall slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will defend my own 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 He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall 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 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.

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

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

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 that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.

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 do not two things to me: then will I not hide myself from thee.

“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 thy hand far from me: and let not thy dread 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 thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou 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 to know my transgression and my sin.

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

24 Why hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thy 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 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou 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 thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess 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 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and observest carefully all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels 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 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as 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.”