Chapter 13

Lo, mine eye hath seen¹ all [this], mine ear hath heard¹ and understood⁴ it.

What ye know, [the same] do I know¹ also: I [am] not inferior⁶ unto you.

Surely I would speak¹⁷ to the Almighty, and I desire⁴ to reason⁵³ with God.

But ye [are] forgers⁶ of lies, ye [are] all physicians⁶ of no value.

O that⁴ ye would altogether⁵³ hold your peace!⁵⁵ and it should be your wisdom.

Hear³ now my reasoning, and hearken⁵⁴ to the pleadings of my lips.

Will ye speak¹⁷ wickedly for God? and talk¹⁷ deceitfully for him?

Will ye accept⁴ his person? will ye contend⁴ for God?

Is it good¹ that he should search⁴ you out? or as one man mocketh¹⁵ another, do ye [so] mock¹⁷ him?

He will surely⁵³ reprove⁵⁵ you, if ye do secretly accept⁴ persons.

Shall not his excellency make you afraid?¹⁷ and his dread fall⁴ upon you?

Your remembrances [are] like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

Hold your peace,⁵⁴ let me alone, that I may speak,¹⁷ and let come⁴ on me what [will].

Wherefore do I take⁴ my flesh in my teeth, and put⁴ my life in mine hand?

Though he slay⁴ me, yet will I trust¹⁷ in him: but I will maintain⁵⁵ mine own ways before him.

He also [shall be] my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come⁴ before him.

Hear³ diligently² my speech, and my declaration with your ears.

Behold now, I have ordered¹ [my] cause; I know¹ that I shall be justified.⁴

Who [is] he [that] will plead⁴ with me? for now, if I hold my tongue,⁵⁵ I shall give up the ghost.⁴

Only do⁴ not two [things] unto me: then will I not hide¹¹ myself from thee.

Withdraw thine hand far⁵⁴ from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.¹⁷

Then call³ thou, and I will answer:⁴ or let me speak,¹⁷ and answer⁵⁴ thou me.

How many [are] mine iniquities and sins? make me to know⁵⁴ my transgression and my sin.

Wherefore hidest⁵⁵ thou thy face, and holdest⁴ me for thine enemy?⁶

Wilt thou break⁴ a leaf driven to and fro?¹² and wilt thou pursue⁴ the dry stubble?

For thou writest⁴ bitter things against me, and makest me to possess⁵⁵ the iniquities of my youth.

Thou puttest⁴ my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly⁴ unto all my paths; thou settest a print¹⁰¹ upon the heels of my feet.

And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth,⁴ as a garment that is moth eaten.¹