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. 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.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.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.²⁸And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.