Job 13

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

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

³ But I would speak to the Almighty,
and I desire to argue my case with God.

⁴As for you, you whitewash with lies;
worthless physicians are you all.

⁵Oh that you would keep silent,
and it would be your wisdom!

⁶Hear now my argument
and listen to the pleadings of my lips.

⁷Will you speak falsely for God
and speak deceitfully for him?

⁸Will you show partiality toward him?
Will you plead the case for God?

⁹Will it be well with you when he searches you out?
Or can you deceive him, as one deceives a man?

¹⁰He will surely rebuke you
if in secret you show partiality.

¹¹Will not his majesty terrify you,
and the dread of him fall upon you?

¹²Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
your defenses are defenses of clay.

¹³“Let me have silence, and I will speak,
and let come on me what may.

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

¹⁵ Though he slay me, I will hope in him;
yet I will argue my ways to his face.

¹⁶This will be my salvation,
that the godless shall not come before him.

¹⁷ Keep listening to my words,
and let my declaration be in your ears.

¹⁸Behold, I have prepared my case;
I know that I shall be in the right.

¹⁹ Who is there who will contend with me?
For then I would be silent and die.

²⁰Only grant me two things,
then I will not hide myself from your face:

²¹ withdraw your hand far from me,
and let not dread of you terrify me.

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

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

²⁴Why do you hide your face
and count me as your enemy?

²⁵Will you frighten a driven leaf
and pursue dry chaff?

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

²⁷You put my feet in the stocks
and watch all my paths;
you set a limit for the soles of my feet.

²⁸Man wastes away like a rotten thing,
like a garment that is moth-eaten.

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