Job 13

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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