¹“Behold, my eye has seen all this;

my ear has heard and understood it.

²What you know, I also know the same;

I am not inferior to you.

³Surely I would speak to the Almighty,

and I desire to reason with God.

⁴But you are plasterers of falsehood;[#Job 16:2; Ps 119:69]

you are all physicians of no value.

⁵Oh, that you would altogether hold your peace,[#Job 13:13; Pr 17:28]

and it would be your wisdom!

⁶Hear now my reasoning,

and listen to the pleadings of my lips.

⁷Will you speak wickedly for God?

And talk deceitfully for Him?

⁸Will you take His side?

Will you plead for God?

⁹Is it good that He would search you out?

Or as one man mocks another, do you so mock Him?

¹⁰He will surely rebuke you,

if you secretly show partiality.

¹¹Will not His excellence make you afraid,

and the dread of Him fall upon you?

¹²Your reminders are parables made of ashes;

your answers are answers made of clay.

¹³“Hold your peace; leave me alone, that I may speak,

and let come on me what may!

¹⁴Why do I take my flesh in my teeth

and put my life in my hand?

¹⁵Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him,[#Pr 14:32; #13:15 Original Hb I have no hope .]

but I will defend my own ways before Him.

¹⁶He also will be my salvation,

for a hypocrite could not come before Him.

¹⁷Listen carefully to my speech,

and to my declaration with your ears.

¹⁸Behold, I have prepared my case;[#Job 23:4]

I know that I will be justified.

¹⁹Who is he who will plead with me?

For now, if I hold my tongue, I will give up my breath.

²⁰“Only grant me two things,

then I will not hide myself from You:

²¹Withdraw Your hand far from me,

and let not the dread of You make me afraid.

²²Then call, and I will answer;

or let me speak, and You answer me.

²³How many are my iniquities and sins?

Make known to me my transgression and my sin.

²⁴Why do You hide Your face

and regard me as Your enemy?

²⁵Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro?[#Lev 26:36]

And will You pursue dry stubble?

²⁶For You write bitter things against me

and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.

²⁷You put my feet in the stocks

and watch closely all my paths;

You draw a line around the soles of my feet.

²⁸“Man, as a rotten thing, decays,

as a garment that is moth eaten.