^{1 Ref} "Behold, my eye has seen all this, My ear has heard and understood it.

^{2 Ref} What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you.

^{3 Ref} "Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God.

^{4 Ref} But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value.

^{5 Ref} Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise.

^{6 Ref} Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips.

^{7 Ref} Will you speak unrighteously for God, And talk deceitfully for him?

^{8 Ref} Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?

^{9 Ref} Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?

^{10 Ref} He will surely reprove you If you secretly show partiality.

^{11 Ref} Shall not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall on you?

^{12 Ref} Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay.

^{13 Ref} "Be silent, leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.

^{14 Ref} Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hand?

^{15 Ref} Behold, he will kill me; I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.

^{16 Ref} This also shall be my salvation, That a godless man shall not come before him.

^{17 Ref} Hear diligently my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.

^{18 Ref} See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.

^{19 Ref} Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.

^{20 Ref} "Only don't do two things to me; Then I will not hide myself from your face:

^{21 Ref} Withdraw your hand far from me; And don't let your terror make me afraid.

^{22 Ref} Then call, and I will answer; Or let me speak, and you answer me.

^{23 Ref} How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin.

^{24 Ref} Why hide you your face, And hold me for your enemy?

^{25 Ref} Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble?

^{26 Ref} For you write bitter things against me, And make me inherit the iniquities of my youth:

^{27 Ref} You also put my feet in the stocks, And mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet:

^{28 Ref} Though I am decaying like a rotten thing, Like a garment that is moth-eaten.

^{1 Ref} Lo, all -- hath mine eye seen, Heard hath mine ear, and it attendeth to it.

^{2 Ref} According to your knowledge I have known -- also I. I am not fallen more than you.

^{3 Ref} Yet I for the Mighty One do speak, And to argue for God I delight.

^{4 Ref} And yet, ye `are' forgers of falsehood, Physicians of nought -- all of you,

^{5 Ref} O that ye would keep perfectly silent, And it would be to you for wisdom.

^{6 Ref} Hear, I pray you, my argument, And to the pleadings of my lips attend,

^{7 Ref} For God do ye speak perverseness? And for Him do ye speak deceit?

^{8 Ref} His face do ye accept, if for God ye strive?

^{9 Ref} Is `it' good that He doth search you, If, as one mocketh at a man, ye mock at Him?

^{10 Ref} He doth surely reprove you, if in secret ye accept faces.

^{11 Ref} Doth not His excellency terrify you? And His dread fall upon you?

^{12 Ref} Your remembrances `are' similes of ashes, For high places of clay your heights.

^{13 Ref} Keep silent from me, and I speak, And pass over me doth what?

^{14 Ref} Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth? And my soul put in my hand?

^{15 Ref} Lo, He doth slay me -- I wait not! Only, my ways unto His face I argue.

^{16 Ref} Also -- He `is' to me for salvation, For the profane cometh not before Him.

^{17 Ref} Hear ye diligently my word, And my declaration with your ears.

^{18 Ref} Lo, I pray you, I have set in order the cause, I have known that I am righteous.

^{19 Ref} Who `is' he that doth strive with me? For now I keep silent and gasp.

^{20 Ref} Only two things, O God, do with me: Then from Thy face I am not hidden.

^{21 Ref} Thy hand put far off from me, And Thy terror let not terrify me.

^{22 Ref} And call Thou, and I -- I answer, Or -- I speak, and answer Thou me.

^{23 Ref} How many iniquities and sins have I? My transgression and my sin let me know.

^{24 Ref} Why dost Thou hide Thy face? And reckonest me for an enemy to Thee?

^{25 Ref} A leaf driven away dost Thou terrify? And the dry stubble dost Thou pursue?

^{26 Ref} For Thou writest against me bitter things, And causest me to possess iniquities of my youth:

^{27 Ref} And puttest in the stocks my feet, And observest all my paths, On the roots of my feet Thou settest a print,

^{28 Ref} And he, as a rotten thing, weareth away, As a garment hath a moth consumed him.

^{1 Ref} Truly, my eye has seen all this, word of it has come to my ear, and I have knowledge of it.

^{2 Ref} The same things are in my mind as in yours; I am equal to you.

^{3 Ref} But I would have talk with the Ruler of all, and my desire is to have an argument with God.

^{4 Ref} But you put a false face on things; all your attempts to put things right are of no value.

^{5 Ref} If only you would keep quiet, it would be a sign of wisdom!

^{6 Ref} Give ear to the argument of my mouth, and take note of the words of my lips.

^{7 Ref} Will you say in God's name what is not right, and put false words into his mouth?

^{8 Ref} Will you have respect for God's person in this cause, and put yourselves forward as his supporters?

^{9 Ref} Will it be good for you to be searched out by him, or have you the thought that he may be guided into error like a man?

^{10 Ref} He will certainly put you right, if you have respect for persons in secret.

^{11 Ref} Will not his glory put you in fear, so that your hearts will be overcome before him?

^{12 Ref} Your wise sayings are only dust, and your strong places are only earth.

^{13 Ref} Keep quiet, and let me say what is in my mind, whatever may come to me.

^{14 Ref} I will take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand.

^{15 Ref} Truly, he will put an end to me; I have no hope; but I will not give way in argument before him;

^{16 Ref} And that will be my salvation, for an evil-doer would not come before him,

^{17 Ref} Give ear with care to my words, and keep what I say in your minds.

^{18 Ref} See now, I have put my cause in order, and I am certain that I will be seen to be right.

^{19 Ref} Is any one able to take up the argument against me? If so, I would keep quiet and give up my breath.

^{20 Ref} Only two things do not do to me, then I will come before your face:

^{21 Ref} Take your hand far away from me; and let me not be overcome by fear of you.

^{22 Ref} Then at the sound of your voice I will give answer; or let me put forward my cause for you to give me an answer.

^{23 Ref} What is the number of my evil-doings and my sins? give me knowledge of them.

^{24 Ref} Why is your face veiled from me, as if I was numbered among your haters?

^{25 Ref} Will you be hard on a leaf in flight before the wind? will you make a dry stem go more quickly on its way?

^{26 Ref} For you put bitter things on record against me, and send punishment on me for the sins of my early years;

^{27 Ref} And you put chains on my feet, watching all my ways, and making a limit for my steps;

^{28 Ref} Though a man comes to nothing like a bit of dead wood, or like a robe which has become food for the worm.