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