Job 13

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.

⁵Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace!

And it would be your wisdom.

⁶Hear now my reasoning,

And hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

⁷Will ye speak unrighteously for God,

And talk deceitfully for him?

⁸Will ye show partiality to him?

Will ye contend for God?

⁹Is it good that he should search you out?

Or as one deceiveth a man, will ye deceive him?

¹⁰He will surely reprove you,

If ye do secretly show partiality.

¹¹Shall not his majesty make you afraid,

And his dread fall upon you?

¹²Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes,

Your defences are defences of clay.

¹³Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak;

And let come on me what will.

¹⁴Wherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth,

And put my life in my hand?

¹⁵Behold, he will slay me; I have no hope:

Nevertheless I will maintain my ways before him.

¹⁶This also shall be my salvation,

That a godless man shall not come before him.

¹⁷Hear diligently my speech,

And let my declaration be in your ears.

¹⁸Behold now, I have set my cause in order;

I know that I am righteous.

¹⁹Who is he that will contend with me?

For then would I hold my peace and give up the ghost.

²⁰Only do not two things unto me;

Then will I not hide myself from thy face:

²¹Withdraw thy hand far from me;

And let not thy terror 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 harass a driven leaf?

And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

²⁶For thou writest bitter things against me,

And makest me to inherit the iniquities of my youth:

²⁷Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks,

And markest all my paths;

Thou settest a bound to the soles of my feet:

²⁸Though I am like a rotten thing that consumeth,

Like a garment that is moth-eaten.