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 reason with God.
4But you forgers of lies,
⚓You are all worthless physicians.
5Oh, that you would be silent,
And ⚓it would be your wisdom!
6Now hear my reasoning,
And heed the pleadings of my lips.
7⚓Will you speak wickedly for God,
And talk deceitfully for Him?
8Will you show partiality for Him?
Will you contend for God?
9Will it be well when He searches you out?
Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man?
10He will surely rebuke you
If you secretly show partiality.
11Will not His excellence make you afraid,
And the dread of Him fall upon you?
12Your platitudes are proverbs of ashes,
Your defenses are defenses of clay.
13“Hold your peace with me, and let me speak,
Then let come on me what may!
14Why ⚓do I take my flesh in my teeth,
And put my life in my hands?
15⚓Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
⚓Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
16He also shall be my salvation,
For a ⚓hypocrite could not come before Him.
17Listen carefully to my speech,
And to my declaration with your ears.
18See now, I have prepared my case,
I know that I shall be ⚓vindicated.
19⚓Who is he who will contend with me?
If now I hold my tongue, I perish.
Job’s Despondent Prayer
20“Only⚓ two things do not do to me,
Then I will not hide myself from You:
21⚓Withdraw Your hand far from me,
And let not the dread of You make me afraid.
22Then call, and I will ⚓answer;
Or let me speak, then You respond to me.
23How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make me know my transgression and my sin.
24⚓Why do You hide Your face,
And ⚓regard me as Your enemy?
25⚓Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro?
And will You pursue dry stubble?
26For You write bitter things against me,
And ⚓make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
27⚓You put my feet in the stocks,
And watch closely all my paths.
You set a limit for the soles of my feet.
28“Man decays like a rotten thing,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.