Job 13

Job’s Fourth Speech Continues

1 "Look, my eye has seen everything;

my ear has heard and has understood it.

2 What you*Plural know,*Literally "Like your knowledge" I myself*Emphatic personal pronoun also know—

I am not more inferior than you.*Plural

3 But I would speak to Shaddai,

and I desire to argue with God.

4 "But*Or "And but" you*Plural whitewash with lies;*Literally "coverers of lies"

all of you*Plural are worthless healers.*Literally "healers of worthlessness"

5 O that*Literally "Who shall give" you*Plural would keep completely silent,

and that it would become wisdom for you.*Plural

6 Please hear my argument,

and listen attentively to the pleadings of my lips.

7 "Will you*Plural speak falsely for God?

And will you*Plural speak deceitfully for him?

8 Will you*Plural show partiality for him?*Literally "his faces will you raise"

Or do you*Plural want to plead God’s case?

9 Will it be well, if he examines you?*Plural

Or can you*Plural deceive him like deceiving a human being?

10 "Surely he will rebuke you*Plural

if you*Plural show partiality*Literally "faces you lift up" in secret.

11 Will not his majesty terrify you,*Plural

and his dread fall upon you?*Plural

12 Your*Plural maxims are proverbs of ashes;

your*Plural defenses are defenses of clay.

13 "Let me have silence,*Literally "Be silent away from me" and I myself*Emphatic personal pronoun will speak,

and let come over me whatever may.

14 Why should I take my flesh in my teeth

and*Hebrew "now" put*Or "should I put," or "will I put" my life in my hand?

15 Look,*Or "Though" though he kill me, I will hope in*Or "for" him;

however, I will defend my ways before him.*Literally "to his faces"

16 Moreover, this is salvation to me,

that the godless would not come before him.*Literally "to his faces"

17 "Listen carefully to my words,

and let my exposition be in your ears.

18 Please look,*Or "Look here" I have prepared my case;

I know that I myself*Emphatic personal pronoun will be vindicated.

19 Who is he who will contend with me?

For then I would be silent, and I would pass away.

Job Argues His Case with God

20 "Only you*Singular; the antecedent is God must not do these two things to me;

then I will not hide from your face:

21 withdraw your*Singular hand from me,

and let not your*Singular dread terrify me.

22 Then*Hebrew "And" call, and I myself*Emphatic personal pronoun will answer;

or let me speak, then*Hebrew "and" reply to me.

23 "How many*Literally "Like what" are my iniquities and sins?

Make known to me my transgression and my sin.

24 Why do you*Singular hide your*Singular face

and count me as your*Singular enemy?

25 Will you*Singular terrify a blown leaf?

And will you*Singular pursue dry stubble?

26 "Indeed, you*Singular write bitter things against me,

and you*Singular make me reap the iniquities of my childhood.

27 And you*Singular put my feet in the block,

and you*Singular watch all my paths;

you carve a mark on the soles of my feet.*Or "You mark/note my footprints"

28 And he himself *Emphatic personal pronounwastes away like something rotten,

like a garment that the moth has eaten.