1"Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it. 2What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you. 3"Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God. 4But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value. 5Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise. 6Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips. 7Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him? 8Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God? 9Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him? 10He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality. 11Shall not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall on you? 12Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay. 13"Be silent, leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will. 14Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand? 15Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him. 16This also shall be my salvation, that a godless man shall not come before him. 17Hear diligently my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears. 18See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous. 19Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit. 20"Only don't do two things to me; then I will not hide myself from your face: 21withdraw your hand far from me; and don't let your terror 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 me know my disobedience and my sin. 24Why hide you your face, and hold me for your enemy? 25Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble? 26For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth: 27You also put my feet in the stocks, and mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet, 28though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.

1Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it. 2What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you. 3Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. 4But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. 5O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom. 6Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips. 7Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him? 8Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God? 9Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him? 10He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons. 11Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you? 12Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay. 13Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will. 14Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand? 15Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. 16He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him. 17Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears. 18Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified. 19Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost. 20Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee. 21Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid. 22Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me. 23How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin. 24Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy? 25Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? 26For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth. 27Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet. 28And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.