24 “Teach me, and I will be quiet;

show me where I have been wrong.

25 How painful are honest words!

But what do your arguments prove?

26 Do you mean to correct what I say,

and treat my desperate words as wind?

27 You would even cast lots for the fatherless

and barter away your friend.

24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue:

And cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

25 How forcible are right words!

But what doth your arguing reprove?

26 Do ye imagine to reprove words,

And the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?

27 Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless,

And ye dig a pit for your friend.

24 Teach me, and I will keep quiet.

Show me what I have done wrong.

25 Honest words can be painful,

but what do your criticisms amount to?

26 Do you think your words are convincing

when you disregard my cry of desperation?

27 You would even send an orphan into slavery

or sell a friend.

24 “Teach me, and I will hold my tongue;

Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

25 How forceful are right words!

But what does your arguing prove?

26 Do you intend to rebuke my words,

And the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind?

27 Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless,

And you undermine your friend.

24 “Teach me, and I will be quiet.

Show me where I have been wrong.

25 Honest words are painful,

but your arguments prove nothing.

26 Do you mean to correct what I say?

Will you treat the words of a troubled man as if they were only wind?

27 You would even gamble for orphans

and would trade away your friend.

24 Teach me, and I will hold my peace;

And cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

25 How forcible are words of uprightness!

But your reproof, what doth it reprove?

26 Do ye think to reprove words,

Seeing that the speeches of one that is desperate are as wind?

27 Yea, ye would cast lots upon the fatherless,

And make merchandise of your friend.

24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue; and cause me to understand wherein I have erred. 25 How forcible are right words! but what doth your upbraiding reprove? 26 Do ye imagine to reprove words? The speeches of one that is desperate are indeed for the wind. 27 Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and dig a pit for your friend.

24 Teach me, and I’ll be silent. 

Show me where I’ve been wrong. 

25 How painful an honest discussion can be! 

In correcting me, you correct yourselves! 

26 Do you think my words need correction? 

Do you think they’re what a desperate person says to the wind? 

27 Would you also throw dice for an orphan? 

Would you buy and sell your friend? 

24 Teach me, and I will be silent.

Help me understand what I did wrong.

25 How painful honest words can be!

But what does your rebuke prove?

26 Do you think that you can disprove my words

or that a despairing man’s words are mere wind?

27 No doubt you would cast lots for a fatherless child

and negotiate a price to sell your friend.

24 “Teach me, and I will be silent;

make me understand how I have gone wrong.

25 How forceful are honest words!

But your reproof, what does it reprove?

26 Do you think that you can reprove words,

as if the speech of the desperate were wind?

27 You would even cast lots over the orphan,

and bargain over your friend.

24 Teach me, and I myself will be silent;

and make me understand how I have gone astray.

25 How painful are upright words!

But what does your reproof reprove?

26 Do you intend to reprove my words

and consider the words of a desperate man as wind?

27 Even over the orphan you would cast the lot,

and you would bargain over your friend.

24 “Teach me. Then I’ll be quiet.

Show me what I’ve done wrong.

25 Honest words are so painful!

But your reasoning doesn’t prove anything.

26 Are you trying to correct what I’m saying?

You are treating the words of this hopeless man

like nothing but wind.

27 You would even cast lots for those whose fathers have died.

You would even trade away your closest friend.

24 “Teach me, and I will be silent;

And show me how I have erred.

25 “How painful are honest words!

But what does your argument prove?

26 “Do you intend to reprove my words,

When the words of one in despair belong to the wind?

27 “You would even cast lots for the orphans

And barter over your friend.