Job 13

Job Says His Friends’ Proverbs Are Ashes

1 ^a“Behold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and understood it.
2 ^b“What you know I also know;
I am not inferior to you.

3 “But ^cI would speak to ^{▼▼ Heb Shaddai}the Almighty,
And I desire to ^eargue with God.
4 “But you ^fsmear with lies;
You are all ^gworthless physicians.
5 “O that you would ^hbe completely silent,
And that it would become your wisdom!
6 “Please hear my argument
And listen to the contentions of my lips.
7 “Will you ⁱspeak what is unjust for God,
And speak what is deceitful for Him?
8 “Will you ^jshow partiality for Him?
Will you contend for God?
9 “Will it be well when He examines you?
Or ^kwill you deceive Him as one deceives a man?
10 “He will surely reprove you
If you secretly ^lshow partiality.
11 “Will not ^mHis ^{▼▼ Lit exaltation}majesty terrify you,
And the dread of Him fall on you?
12 “Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes,
Your defenses are defenses of clay.

Job Is Sure He Will Be Vindicated

13 ^o“Be silent before me so that I may speak;
Then let come on me what may.
14 “Why should I take my flesh in my teeth
And ^pput my life in my ^{▼▼ Lit palm}hands?
15 ^r“Though He slay me,
I will hope in Him.
Nevertheless I ^swill argue my ways ^{▼▼ Lit to His face}before Him.
16 “This also will be my ^usalvation,
For ^va godless man may not come before His presence.
17 “Listen carefully to my speech,
And let my declaration fill your ears.
18 “Behold now, I have ^wprepared my case;
I know that ^xI will be vindicated.
19 ^y“Who will contend with me?
For then I would be silent and ^zdie.

20 “Only two things do not do to me,
Then I will not hide from Your face:
21 ^aaRemove Your ^{▼▼ Lit palm}hand from me,
And let not the dread of You terrify me.
22 “Then call, and ^acI will answer;
Or let me speak, then reply to me.
23 ^ad“How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make known to me my ^{▼▼ Or transgression}rebellion and my sin.
24 “Why do You ^afhide Your face
And consider me ^agYour enemy?
25 “Will You cause a ^ahdriven leaf to tremble?
Or will You pursue the dry ^aichaff?
26 “For You write ^ajbitter things against me
And ^akmake me to inherit the iniquities of my youth.
27 “You ^alput my feet in the stocks
And watch all my paths;
You ^{▼▼ Lit carve for}set a limit for the soles of my feet,
28 While ^{▼▼ Lit he is}I am decaying like a ^aorotten thing,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.