Job 13

Job Says His Friends’ Proverbs Are Ashes

1 “ ^aBehold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and understood it.
2 “ ^bWhat 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 me with lies;
You are all ^gworthless physicians.
5 “Oh that you would ^hbe completely silent,
And that it would become your wisdom!
6 “Please hear my argument,
And give your attention 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 go well when He examines you?
Or ^kwill you deceive Him as one deceives a man?
10 “He will certainly punish you
If you secretly ^lshow partiality.
11 “Will ^mHis ▼

▼Lit exaltation

majesty not terrify you,
And the dread of Him fall upon you?
12 “Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes,
Your defenses are defenses of clay.

Job Is Sure He Will Be Vindicated

13 “ ^oBe silent before me so that I may speak;
Then let come upon me what may.
14 “Why should I take my flesh in my teeth,
And ^pput my life in my ▼

▼Lit palm

hands?
15 “ ^rThough He slay me,
I will ▼

▼Lit wait for

hope in Him.
Nevertheless I ^twill argue my ways ▼

▼Lit to His face

before Him.
16 “This also will be my ^vsalvation,
For ^wa godless person cannot come before His presence.
17 “Listen carefully to my speech,
And let my declaration fill your ears.
18 “Behold now, I have ^xprepared my case;
I know that ^yI will be vindicated.
19 “ ^zWho could contend with me?
For then I would be silent and ^aadie.

20 “Only two things I ask that You do not do to me,
Then I will not hide from Your face:
21 ^abRemove Your ▼

▼Lit palm

hand from me,
And may the dread of You not terrify me.
22 “Then call and ^adI will answer;
Or let me speak, then reply to me.
23 “ ^aeHow many are my guilty deeds and sins?
Make known to me my wrongdoing and my sin.
24 “Why do You ^afhide Your face
And consider me ^agYour enemy?
25 “Will You scare away a ^ahscattered leaf?
Or will You pursue the dry ^aichaff?
26 “For You write ^ajbitter things against me
And ^akmake me inherit the guilty deeds 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.