^{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} Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.

^{2 Ref} What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.

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

^{4 Ref} But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

^{5 Ref} O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

^{6 Ref} Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

^{7 Ref} Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

^{8 Ref} Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

^{9 Ref} Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

^{10 Ref} He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.

^{11 Ref} Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?

^{12 Ref} Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

^{13 Ref} Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

^{14 Ref} Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

^{15 Ref} Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

^{16 Ref} He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

^{17 Ref} Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.

^{18 Ref} Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.

^{19 Ref} Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.

^{20 Ref} Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.

^{21 Ref} Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.

^{22 Ref} Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

^{23 Ref} How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

^{24 Ref} Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

^{25 Ref} Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

^{26 Ref} For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

^{27 Ref} Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.

^{28 Ref} And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.