^{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.