Job 13

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¹See, my eye has seen all this; my ear has heard and understood it.

²What you know, the same I also know; I am not inferior to you.

³However, I would rather speak with the Almighty; I wish to reason with God.

⁴But you whitewash the truth with lies; you are all physicians of no value.

⁵Oh, that you would altogether hold your peace! That would be your wisdom.

⁶Hear now my own reasoning; listen to the pleading of my own lips.

⁷Will you speak unrighteously for God, and will you talk deceitfully for him?

⁸Will you show him partiality? Will you argue the case for God?

⁹Will it be good for you when he searches you out? Could you deceive him as you might deceive men?

¹⁰He would surely reprove you if in secret you showed partiality.

¹¹Will not his majesty terrify you, and the dread of him fall upon you?

¹²Your memorable sayings are proverbs made of ashes; your defenses are defenses made of clay.

¹³Hold your peace, let me alone, so that I may speak, let come what may on me.

¹⁴I will take my own flesh in my teeth; I will take my life in my hands.

¹⁵See, if he kills me, I will have no hope left; nevertheless, I will defend my ways before him.

¹⁶This will be the reason for my deliverance, for no godless person would come before him.

¹⁷God, listen carefully to my speech; let my declaration come to your ears.

¹⁸See now, I have set my defense in order; I know that I am innocent.

¹⁹Who is the one who would argue against me in court? If you came to do so, and if I were proved wrong, then I would be silent and give up my life.

²⁰God, do only two things for me, and then I will not hide myself from your face:

²¹withdraw your oppressive hand from me, and do not let your terrors make me afraid.

²²Then call me, and I will answer; or let me speak to you, and you answer me.

²³How many are my iniquities and sins? Let me know my transgression and my sin.

²⁴Why do you hide your face from me and treat me like your enemy?

²⁵Will you persecute a driven leaf? Will you pursue dry stubble?

²⁶For you write down bitter things against me; you make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.

²⁷You also put my feet in the stocks; you closely watch all my paths; you examine the ground where the soles of my feet have walked

²⁸although I am like a rotten thing that wastes away, like a garment that moths have eaten.