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I Will Be Declared Righteous

13 (A)Behold, my eye has seen all this;
My ear has heard and understood it.
(B)What you know I also know;
I have not fallen short of you.

“But (C)I would speak to [a]the Almighty,
And I desire to (D)argue with God.
But you (E)cover me with lies;
You are all (F)worthless physicians.
O that you would (G)be completely silent,
And that it would become your wisdom!
Please hear my argument
And give heed to the contentions of my lips.
Will you (H)speak what is unrighteous for God,
And speak what is deceitful for Him?
Will you (I)show partiality for Him?
Will you contend for God?
Will it be well when He examines you?
Or (J)will you deceive Him as one deceives a man?
10 He will surely reprove you
If you secretly (K)show partiality.
11 Will not (L)His exaltedness terrify you,
And the dread of Him fall on you?
12 Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes;
Your defenses are defenses of clay.

13 (M)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 (N)put my life in my [b]hands?
15 [c](O)Though He slay me,
I will hope in Him.
Nevertheless I (P)will argue my ways [d]before Him.
16 This also will be my (Q)salvation,
For (R)a godless man may not come before His presence.
17 [e]Listen carefully to my words,
And let my declaration fill your ears.
18 Behold now, I have (S)arranged my case for justice;
I know that (T)I will be declared righteous.
19 (U)Who will contend with me?
For now I am silent and (V)will breathe my last.

20 “Only two things do not do to me,
Then I will not hide from Your face:
21 (W)Move Your [f]hand far from me,
And let not the dread of You terrify me.
22 Then call, and (X)I will answer;
Or let me speak, then respond to me.
23 (Y)How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make known to me my transgression and my sin.
24 Why do You (Z)hide Your face
And think of me as (AA)Your enemy?
25 Will You cause a (AB)driven leaf to tremble?
Or will You pursue the dry (AC)chaff?
26 For You write (AD)bitter things against me
And (AE)make me to possess the iniquities of my youth.
27 You (AF)put my feet in the stocks
And kept watch over all my paths;
You [g]set a limit for the soles of my feet,
28 While [h]I am decaying like a (AG)rotten thing,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.

Footnotes

  1. Job 13:3 Heb Shaddai
  2. Job 13:14 Lit palm
  3. Job 13:15 Or He will slay me, I have no hope
  4. Job 13:15 Lit to His face
  5. Job 13:17 Or persist in listening
  6. Job 13:21 Lit palm
  7. Job 13:27 Lit carve for
  8. Job 13:28 Lit he is

13 1-2 Everything you say, I have heard before.
    I understand it all; I know as much as you do.
    I'm not your inferior.
But my dispute is with God, not you;
    I want to argue my case with him.
You cover up your ignorance with lies;
    you are like doctors who can't heal anyone.
Say nothing, and someone may think you are wise!

Listen while I state my case.
    Why are you lying?
    Do you think your lies will benefit God?
Are you trying to defend him?
    Are you going to argue his case in court?
If God looks at you closely, will he find anything good?
    Do you think you can fool God the way you fool others?
10 Even though your prejudice is hidden,
    he will reprimand you,
11     and his power will fill you with terror.
12 Your proverbs are as useless as ashes;
    your arguments are as weak as clay.
13 Be quiet and give me a chance to speak,
    and let the results be what they will.

14 I am[a] ready to risk my life.
15 I've lost all hope, so what if God kills me?
    I am going to state my case to him.
16 It may even be that my boldness will save me,
    since no wicked person would dare to face God.
17 Now listen to my words of explanation.
18 I am ready to state my case,
    because I know I am in the right.

19 Are you coming to accuse me, God?
    If you do, I am ready to be silent and die.
20 Let me ask for two things; agree to them,
    and I will not try to hide from you:
21     stop punishing me, and don't crush me with terror.

22 Speak first, O God, and I will answer.
    Or let me speak, and you answer me.
23 What are my sins? What wrongs have I done?
    What crimes am I charged with?

24 Why do you avoid me?
    Why do you treat me like an enemy?
25 Are you trying to frighten me? I'm nothing but a leaf;
    you are attacking a piece of dry straw.

26 You bring bitter charges against me,
    even for what I did when I was young.
27 (A)You bind chains on my feet;
    you watch every step I take,
    and even examine my footprints.
28 As a result, I crumble like rotten wood,
    like a moth-eaten coat.

Footnotes

  1. Job 13:14 One ancient translation I am; Hebrew Why am I.

13 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.

What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.

Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

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

10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.

11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?

12 Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

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

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

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

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

17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.

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

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

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

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

22 Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

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

24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

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

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

27 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 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.