Bible Browser

13‘Look, 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 argue my case with God.
⁴ As for you, you whitewash with lies;
   all of you are worthless physicians.
⁵ If you would only keep silent,
   that would be your wisdom!
⁶ Hear now my reasoning,
   and listen to the pleadings of my lips.
⁷ Will you speak falsely for God,
   and speak deceitfully for him?
⁸ Will you show partiality towards him,
   will you plead the case for God?
⁹ Will it be well with you when he searches you out?
   Or can you deceive him, as one person deceives another?
¹⁰ He will surely rebuke you
   if in secret you show partiality.
¹¹ Will not his majesty terrify you,
   and the dread of him fall upon you?
¹² Your maxims are proverbs of ashes,
   your defences are defences of clay.

¹³ ‘Let me have silence, and I will speak,
   and let come on me what may.
¹⁴ I will take my flesh in my teeth,
   and put my life in my hand.^*
15 See, he will kill me; I have no hope;^*
   but I will defend my ways to his face.
¹⁶ This will be my salvation,
   that the godless shall not come before him.
¹⁷ Listen carefully to my words,
   and let my declaration be in your ears.
¹⁸ I have indeed prepared my case;
   I know that I shall be vindicated.
¹⁹ Who is there that will contend with me?
   For then I would be silent and die.

Job’s Despondent Prayer

²⁰ Only grant two things to me,
   then I will not hide myself from your face:
²¹ withdraw your hand far from me,
   and do not let dread of you terrify me.
²² Then call, and I will answer;
   or let me speak, and you reply to me.
²³ How many are my iniquities and my sins?
   Make me know my transgression and my sin.
²⁴ Why do you hide your face,
   and count me as your enemy?
²⁵ Will you frighten a windblown leaf
   and pursue dry chaff?
²⁶ For you write bitter things against me,
   and make me reap^* the iniquities of my youth.
²⁷ You put my feet in the stocks,
   and watch all my paths;
   you set a bound to the soles of my feet.
²⁸ One wastes away like a rotten thing,
   like a garment that is moth-eaten.