New Living Translation | English Standard Version |
1“Look, I have seen all this with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, and now I understand. | 1“Behold, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it. |
2I know as much as you do. You are no better than I am. | 2What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. |
3As for me, I would speak directly to the Almighty. I want to argue my case with God himself. | 3But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God. |
4As for you, you smear me with lies. As physicians, you are worthless quacks. | 4As for you, you whitewash with lies; worthless physicians are you all. |
5If only you could be silent! That’s the wisest thing you could do. | 5Oh that you would keep silent, and it would be your wisdom! |
6Listen to my charge; pay attention to my arguments. | 6Hear now my argument and listen to the pleadings of my lips. |
7“Are you defending God with lies? Do you make your dishonest arguments for his sake? | 7Will you speak falsely for God and speak deceitfully for him? |
8Will you slant your testimony in his favor? Will you argue God’s case for him? | 8Will you show partiality toward him? Will you plead the case for God? |
9What will happen when he finds out what you are doing? Can you fool him as easily as you fool people? | 9Will it be well with you when he searches you out? Or can you deceive him, as one deceives a man? |
10No, you will be in trouble with him if you secretly slant your testimony in his favor. | 10He will surely rebuke you if in secret you show partiality. |
11Doesn’t his majesty terrify you? Doesn’t your fear of him overwhelm you? | 11Will not his majesty terrify you, and the dread of him fall upon you? |
12Your platitudes are as valuable as ashes. Your defense is as fragile as a clay pot. | 12Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay. |
13“Be silent now and leave me alone. Let me speak, and I will face the consequences. | 13“Let me have silence, and I will speak, and let come on me what may. |
14Why should I put myself in mortal danger and take my life in my own hands? | 14Why should I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in my hand? |
15God might kill me, but I have no other hope. I am going to argue my case with him. | 15Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face. |
16But this is what will save me—I am not godless. If I were, I could not stand before him. | 16This will be my salvation, that the godless shall not come before him. |
17“Listen closely to what I am about to say. Hear me out. | 17Keep listening to my words, and let my declaration be in your ears. |
18I have prepared my case; I will be proved innocent. | 18Behold, I have prepared my case; I know that I shall be in the right. |
19Who can argue with me over this? And if you prove me wrong, I will remain silent and die. Job Asks How He Has Sinned | 19Who is there who will contend with me? For then I would be silent and die. |
20“O God, grant me these two things, and then I will be able to face you. | 20Only grant me two things, then I will not hide myself from your face: |
21Remove your heavy hand from me, and don’t terrify me with your awesome presence. | 21withdraw your hand far from me, and let not dread of you terrify me. |
22Now summon me, and I will answer! Or let me speak to you, and you reply. | 22Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and you reply to me. |
23Tell me, what have I done wrong? Show me my rebellion and my sin. | 23How many are my iniquities and my sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin. |
24Why do you turn away from me? Why do you treat me as your enemy? | 24Why do you hide your face and count me as your enemy? |
25Would you terrify a leaf blown by the wind? Would you chase dry straw? | 25Will you frighten a driven leaf and pursue dry chaff? |
26“You write bitter accusations against me and bring up all the sins of my youth. | 26For you write bitter things against me and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth. |
27You put my feet in stocks. You examine all my paths. You trace all my footprints. | 27You put my feet in the stocks and watch all my paths; you set a limit for the soles of my feet. |
28I waste away like rotting wood, like a moth-eaten coat. | 28Man wastes away like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten. |
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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