Chapter 13

¹“Behold, my eye has seen all this,

My ear has heard and understood it.

²What you know, I know also.

I am not inferior to you.

³“Surely I would speak to the Almighty.

I desire to reason with God.

⁴But you are forgers of lies.

You are all physicians of no value.

⁵Oh that you would be completely silent!

Then you would be wise.

⁶Hear now my reasoning.

Listen to the pleadings of my lips.

⁷Will you speak unrighteously for God,

And talk deceitfully for him?

⁸Will you show partiality to him?

Will you contend for God?

⁹Is it good that he should search you out?

Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?

¹⁰He will surely reprove you

If you secretly show partiality.

¹¹Shall not his majesty make you afraid,

And his dread fall on you?

¹²Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes,

Your defenses are defenses of clay.

¹³“Be silent, leave me alone, that I may speak.

Let come on me what will.

¹⁴Why should I take my flesh in my teeth,

And put my life in my hand?

¹⁵Behold, he will kill me; I have no hope.

Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.

¹⁶This also shall be my salvation,

That a godless man shall not come before him.

¹⁷Hear diligently my speech.

Let my declaration be in your ears.

¹⁸See now, I have set my cause in order.

I know that I am righteous.

¹⁹Who is he who will contend with me?

For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.

²⁰“Only don’t do two things to me;

Then I will not hide myself from your face:

²¹Withdraw your hand far from me;

And don’t let your terror make me afraid.

²²Then call, and I will answer;

Or let me speak, and you answer me.

²³How many are my iniquities and sins?

Make me know my disobedience and my sin.

²⁴Why hide you your face,

And hold me for your enemy?

²⁵Will you harass a driven leaf?

Will you pursue the dry stubble?

²⁶For you write bitter things against me,

And make me inherit the iniquities of my youth:

²⁷You also put my feet in the stocks,

And mark all my paths.

You set a bound to the soles of my feet:

²⁸Though I am decaying like a rotten thing,

Like a garment that is moth-eaten.