Job 13

Job Wants to Argue His Case with God

¹“Look, I have seen all this with my own eyes

and heard it with my own ears, and now I understand.

²I know as much as you do.

You are no better than I am.

³As for me, I would speak directly to the Almighty.

I want to argue my case with God himself.

⁴As for you, you smear me with lies.

As physicians, you are worthless quacks.

⁵If only you could be silent!

That’s the wisest thing you could do.

⁶Listen to my charge;

pay attention to my arguments.

⁷“Are you defending God with lies?

Do you make your dishonest arguments for his sake?

⁸Will you slant your testimony in his favor?

Will you argue God’s case for him?

⁹What will happen when he finds out what you are doing?

Can you fool him as easily as you fool people?

¹⁰No, you will be in trouble with him

if you secretly slant your testimony in his favor.

¹¹Doesn’t his majesty terrify you?

Doesn’t your fear of him overwhelm you?

¹²Your platitudes are as valuable as ashes.

Your defense is as fragile as a clay pot.

¹³“Be silent now and leave me alone.

Let me speak, and I will face the consequences.

¹⁴Why should I put myself in mortal danger^a

and take my life in my own hands?

¹⁵God might kill me, but I have no other hope.^b

I am going to argue my case with him.

¹⁶But this is what will save me—I am not godless.

If I were, I could not stand before him.

¹⁷“Listen closely to what I am about to say.

Hear me out.

¹⁸I have prepared my case;

I will be proved innocent.

¹⁹Who can argue with me over this?

And if you prove me wrong, I will remain silent and die.

Job Asks How He Has Sinned

²⁰“O God, grant me these two things,

and then I will be able to face you.

²¹Remove your heavy hand from me,

and don’t terrify me with your awesome presence.

²²Now summon me, and I will answer!

Or let me speak to you, and you reply.

²³Tell me, what have I done wrong?

Show me my rebellion and my sin.

²⁴Why do you turn away from me?

Why do you treat me as your enemy?

²⁵Would you terrify a leaf blown by the wind?

Would you chase dry straw?

²⁶“You write bitter accusations against me

and bring up all the sins of my youth.

²⁷You put my feet in stocks.

You examine all my paths.

You trace all my footprints.

²⁸I waste away like rotting wood,

like a moth-eaten coat.