1“Indeed, my eyes have seen all this; my ears have heard and understood.“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.Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, Mine ear hath heard and understood it.2What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.What 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.What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.3Yet I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God.“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.Surely I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to reason with God.4You, however, smear with lies; you are all worthless physicians.But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value.But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.But ye are forgers of lies; Ye are all physicians of no value.5If only you would remain silent; for that would be your wisdom!Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise.O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! And it would be your wisdom.6Hear now my argument, and listen to the plea of my lips.Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips.Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.Hear now my reasoning, And hearken to the pleadings of my lips.7Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf or speak deceitfully for Him?Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?Will ye speak unrighteously for God, And talk deceitfully for him?8Would you show Him partiality or argue in His defense?Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?Will ye show partiality to him? Will ye contend for God?9Would it be well when He examined you? Could you deceive Him as you would deceive a man?Is 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?Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceiveth a man, will ye deceive him?10Surely He would rebuke you if you secretly showed partiality.He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.He will surely reprove you, If ye do secretly show partiality.11Would His majesty not terrify you? Would the dread of Him not fall upon you?Won’t his majesty make you afraid and his dread fall on you?Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?Shall not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall upon you?12Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes. Your defenses are defenses of clay.Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, Your defences are defences of clay.13Be silent, and I will speak. Then let come to me what may.“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.Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak; And let come on me what will.14Why do I put myself at risk and take my life in my own hands?Why 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?Wherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hand?15Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways to His face.Behold, 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.Behold, he will slay me; I have no hope: Nevertheless I will maintain my ways before him.16Moreover, this will be my salvation, for no godless man can appear before Him.This also will be my salvation, that a godless man will not come before him.He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.This also shall be my salvation, That a godless man shall not come before him.17Listen carefully to my words; let my declaration ring in your ears.Listen carefully to my speech. Let my declaration be in your ears.Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.Hear diligently my speech, And let my declaration be in your ears.18See now, I have prepared my case; I know that I will be vindicated.See 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.Behold now, I have set my cause in order; I know that I am righteous.19Can anyone indict me? If so, I will be silent and die.Who is he who will contend with me? For then I would 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.Who is he that will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the ghost.20Only grant these two things to me, so that I need not hide from You:“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.Only do not two things unto me; Then will I not hide myself from thy face:21Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me.withdraw 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.Withdraw thy hand far from me; And let not thy terror make me afraid.22Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and You can reply.Then 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.Then call thou, and I will answer; Or let me speak, and answer thou me.23How many are my iniquities and sins? Reveal to me my transgression and sin.How 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.How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin.24Why do You hide Your face and consider me as Your enemy?Why do you hide your face, and consider me your enemy?Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?Wherefore hidest thou thy face, And holdest me for thine enemy?25Would You frighten a windblown leaf? Would You chase after dry chaff?Will 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?Wilt thou harass a driven leaf? And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?26For You record bitter accusations against me and bequeath to me the iniquities of my youth.For 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.For thou writest bitter things against me, And makest me to inherit the iniquities of my youth:27You put my feet in the stocks and stand watch over all my paths; You set a limit for the soles of my feet.You 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.Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, And markest all my paths; Thou settest a bound to the soles of my feet:28So man wastes away like something rotten, like a moth-eaten garment.though 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.Though I am like a rotten thing that consumeth, Like a garment that is moth-eaten.
Berean Standard Bible (public domain).World English Bible (public domain).King James Version (public domain in the US).American Standard Version, 1901 (public domain).