1“Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it.Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.
2What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you.What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.
3“Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God.Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
6Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips.Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
7Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
8Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
9Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?Is 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 you secretly show partiality.He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
11Shall not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall on you?Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?
12Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay.Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.
13“Be silent, leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.
14Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
15Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
16This also shall be my salvation, that a godless man shall not come before him.He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.
17Hear diligently my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.
18See now, I have set my cause in order. I know that I am righteous.Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.
19Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.
20“Only don’t do two things to me; then I will not hide myself from your face:Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.
21withdraw your hand far from me; and don’t let your terror make me afraid.Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.
22Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and you answer me.Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.
23How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin.How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.
24Why hide you your face, and hold me for your enemy?Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?
25Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble?Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
26For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth:For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess 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,Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.
28though I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.