Job 13

13“Now my eyes have seen all this;

my ears have heard and understood it.

²What you know, I also know.

You are not better than I am.

³But I want to speak to the Almighty

and to argue my case with God.

⁴But you smear me with lies.

You are worthless doctors, all of you!

⁵I wish you would just stop talking;

then you would really be wise!

⁶Listen to my argument,

and hear the pleading of my lips.

⁷You should not speak evil in the name of God;

you cannot speak God’s truth by telling lies.

⁸You should not unfairly choose his side against mine;

you should not argue the case for God.

⁹You will not do well if he examines you;

you cannot fool God as you might fool humans.

¹⁰God would surely scold you

if you unfairly took one person’s side.

¹¹His bright glory would scare you,

and you would be very much afraid of him.

¹²Your wise sayings are worth no more than ashes,

and your arguments are as weak as clay.

¹³“Be quiet and let me speak.

Let things happen to me as they will.

¹⁴Why should I put myself in danger

and take my life in my own hands?

¹⁵Even if God kills me, I have hope in him;

I will still defend my ways to his face.

¹⁶This is my salvation.

The wicked cannot come before him.

¹⁷Listen carefully to my words;

let your ears hear what I say.

¹⁸See, I have prepared my case,

and I know I will be proved right.

¹⁹No one can accuse me of doing wrong.

If someone can, I will be quiet and die.

²⁰“God, please just give me these two things,

and then I will not hide from you:

²¹Take your punishment away from me,

and stop frightening me with your terrors.

²²Then call me, and I will answer,

or let me speak, and you answer.

²³How many evil things and sins have I done?

Show me my wrong and my sin.

²⁴Don’t hide your face from me;

don’t think of me as your enemy.

²⁵Don’t punish a leaf that is blown by the wind;

don’t chase after straw.

²⁶You write down cruel things against me

and make me suffer for my boyhood sins.

²⁷You put my feet in chains

and keep close watch wherever I go.

You even mark the soles of my feet.

²⁸“Everyone wears out like something rotten,

like clothing eaten by moths.