1Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it. 2What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you. 3Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. 4But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. 5O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom. 6Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips. 7Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him? 8Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God? 9Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him? 10He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons. 11Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you? 12Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.
13Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.13.13 Hold…: Heb. Be silent from me 14Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand? 15Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.13.15 maintain: Heb. prove, or, argue 16He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him. 17Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears. 18Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified. 19Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost. 20Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee. 21Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid. 22Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.
23How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin. 24Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy? 25Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? 26For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth. 27Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.13.27 lookest…: Heb. observest13.27 heels: Heb. roots 28And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.
1“My eyes have seen everything God has done.
My ears have heard it and understood it.
2What you know, I also know.
I’m as clever as you are.
3In fact, I long to speak to the Mighty One.
I want to argue my case with God.
4But you spread lies about me and take away my good name.
If you are trying to heal me,
you aren’t very good doctors!
5I wish you would keep your mouths shut!
Then people would think you were wise.
6Listen to my case.
Listen as I make my appeal.
7Will you say evil things in order to help God?
Will you tell lies for him?
8Do you want to be on God’s side?
Will you argue his case for him?
9Would it turn out well if he looked you over carefully?
Could you fool him as you might fool human beings?
10He would certainly hold you responsible
if you took his side in secret.
11Wouldn’t his glory terrify you?
Wouldn’t the fear of him fall on you?
12Your sayings are as useless as ashes.
The answers you give are as weak as clay.
13“So be quiet and let me speak.
Then I won’t care what happens to me.
14Why do I put myself in danger?
Why do I take my life in my hands?
15Even if God kills me, I’ll still put my hope in him.
I’ll argue my case in front of him.
16No matter how things turn out,
I’m sure I’ll still be saved.
After all, no ungodly person
would dare to come into his court.
17Listen carefully to what I’m saying.
Pay close attention to my words.
18I’ve prepared my case.
And I know I’ll be proved right.
19Can others bring charges against me?
If they can, I’ll keep quiet and die.
20“God, I won’t hide from you.
Here are the only two things I want.
21Stop treating me this way.
And stop making me so afraid.
22Then send for me, and I’ll answer.
Or let me speak, and you reply.
23How many things have I done wrong?
How many sins have I committed?
Show me my crime. Show me my sin.
24Why do you turn your face away from me?
Why do you think of me as your enemy?
25I’m already like a leaf that is blown by the wind.
Are you going to terrify me even more?
I’m already like dry straw.
Are you going to keep on chasing me?
26You write down bitter things against me.
You make me suffer for the sins
I committed when I was young.
27You put my feet in chains.
You watch every step I take.
You do it by putting marks on the bottom of my feet.
28“People waste away like something that is rotten.
They are like clothes that are eaten by moths.
