| Chapter 13 |
1 | Lo, my eye hath seen all this, my ear hath heard and understood it. |
2 | What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior to you. |
3 | Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. |
4 | But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. |
5 | O that ye would altogether hold your peace and it would be your wisdom. |
6 | Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips. |
7 | Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him? |
8 | Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God? |
9 | Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him? |
10 | He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons. |
11 | Shall not his excellence make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you? |
12 | Your remembrances are like to ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay. |
13 | Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will. |
14 | Why do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand? |
15 | Though he shall slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain my own ways before him. |
16 | He also shall be my salvation: for a hypocrite shall not come before him. |
17 | Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears. |
18 | Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified. |
19 | Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall expire. |
20 | Only do not two things to me: then will I not hide myself from thee. |
21 | Withdraw thy hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid. |
22 | Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me. |
23 | How many are my iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin. |
24 | Why hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thy enemy? |
25 | Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? |
26 | For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth. |
27 | Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly to all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet. |
28 | And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth-eaten. |