¹ “Behold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and understood it.

² What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.

³ But I would speak to the Almighty,
And I desire to reason with God.

⁴ But you forgers of lies,
You are all worthless physicians.

⁵ Oh, that you would be silent,
And it would be your wisdom!

⁶ Now hear my reasoning,
And heed the pleadings of my lips.

⁷ Will you speak wickedly for God,
And talk deceitfully for Him?

⁸ Will you show partiality for Him?
Will you contend for God?

⁹ Will it be well when He searches you out?
Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man?

¹⁰ He will surely rebuke you
If you secretly show partiality.

¹¹ Will not His excellence make you afraid,
And the dread of Him fall upon you?

¹² Your platitudes are proverbs of ashes,
Your defenses are defenses of clay.

¹³ “Hold your peace with me, and let me speak,
Then let come on me what may!

¹⁴ Why do I take my flesh in my teeth,
And put my life in my hands?

¹⁵ Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.

¹⁶ He also shall be my salvation,
For a hypocrite could not come before Him.

¹⁷ Listen carefully to my speech,
And to my declaration with your ears.

¹⁸ See now, I have prepared my case,
I know that I shall be vindicated.

¹⁹ Who is he who will contend with me?
If now I hold my tongue, I perish.

Job’s Despondent Prayer

²¹ Withdraw Your hand far from me,
And let not the dread of You make me afraid.

²² Then call, and I will answer;
Or let me speak, then You respond to me.

²³ How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make me know my transgression and my sin.

²⁴ Why do You hide Your face,
And regard me as Your enemy?

²⁵ Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro?
And will You pursue dry stubble?

²⁶ For You write bitter things against me,
And make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.

²⁷ You put my feet in the stocks,
And watch closely all my paths.
You set a limit^[a] for the soles of my feet.

²⁸ “Man^[b] decays like a rotten thing,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.