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13“Look, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it. ²What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. ³But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God. ⁴As for you, you whitewash with lies; all of you are worthless physicians. ⁵If you would only keep silent, that would be your wisdom! ⁶Hear now my reasoning, and listen to the pleadings of my lips. ⁷Will you speak falsely for God, and speak deceitfully for him? ⁸Will you show partiality toward him, will you plead the case for God? ⁹Will it be well with you when he searches you out? Or can you deceive him, as one person deceives another? ¹⁰He will surely rebuke you if in secret you show partiality. ¹¹Will not his majesty terrify you, and the dread of him fall upon you? ¹²Your maxims are proverbs of ashes, your defenses are defenses of clay.

¹³“Let me have silence, and I will speak, and let come on me what may. ¹⁴I will take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand. ¹⁵See, he will kill me; I have no hope; but I will defend my ways to his face. ¹⁶This will be my salvation, that the godless shall not come before him. ¹⁷Listen carefully to my words, and let my declaration be in your ears. ¹⁸I have indeed prepared my case; I know that I shall be vindicated. ¹⁹Who is there that will contend with me? For then I would be silent and die. ²⁰Only grant two things to me, then I will not hide myself from your face: ²¹withdraw your hand far from me, and do not let dread of you terrify me. ²²Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and you reply to me.

²³How many are my iniquities and my sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin. ²⁴Why do you hide your face, and count me as your enemy? ²⁵Will you frighten a windblown leaf and pursue dry chaff? ²⁶For you write bitter things against me, and make me reap the iniquities of my youth. ²⁷You put my feet in the stocks, and watch all my paths; you set a bound to the soles of my feet. ²⁸One wastes away like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.