| New Living Translation | NET Bible |
| 1“Look, I have seen all this with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, and now I understand. | 1"Indeed, my eyes have seen all this, my ears have heard and understood it. |
| 2I know as much as you do. You are no better than I am. | 2What you know, I know also; 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 wish to 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. | 4But you, however, are inventors of lies; all of you are worthless physicians! |
| 5If only you could be silent! That’s the wisest thing you could do. | 5If only you would keep completely silent! For you, that would be wisdom. |
| 6Listen to my charge; pay attention to my arguments. | 6"Listen now to my argument, and be attentive to my lips' contentions. |
| 7“Are you defending God with lies? Do you make your dishonest arguments for his sake? | 7Will you speak wickedly on God's behalf? Will you speak deceitfully for him? |
| 8Will you slant your testimony in his favor? Will you argue God’s case for him? | 8Will you show him partiality? Will you argue 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? | 9Would it turn out well if he would examine you? Or as one deceives a man would you deceive him? |
| 10No, you will be in trouble with him if you secretly slant your testimony in his favor. | 10He would certainly rebuke you if you secretly showed partiality! |
| 11Doesn’t his majesty terrify you? Doesn’t your fear of him overwhelm you? | 11Would not his splendor terrify you and the fear he inspires fall on 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"Refrain from talking with me so that I may speak; then let come to me what may. |
| 14Why should I put myself in mortal danger and take my life in my own hands? | 14Why do I put myself in peril, and take my life in my hands? |
| 15God might kill me, but I have no other hope. I am going to argue my case with him. | 15Even if he slays me, I will hope in him; I will surely defend 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. | 16Moreover, this will become my deliverance, for no godless person would come before him. |
| 17“Listen closely to what I am about to say. Hear me out. | 17Listen carefully to my words; let your ears be attentive to my explanation. |
| 18I have prepared my case; I will be proved innocent. | 18See now, I have prepared my case; I know that I am 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 will contend with me? If anyone can, I will be silent and die. |
| 20“O God, grant me these two things, and then I will be able to face you. | 20Only in two things spare me, O God, and then I will not hide from your face: |
| 21Remove your heavy hand from me, and don’t terrify me with your awesome presence. | 21Remove your hand far from me and stop making me afraid with your terror. |
| 22Now summon me, and I will answer! Or let me speak to you, and you reply. | 22Then call, and I will answer, or I will speak, and you respond to me. |
| 23Tell me, what have I done wrong? Show me my rebellion and my sin. | 23How many are my iniquities and sins? Show me 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 regard me as your enemy? |
| 25Would you terrify a leaf blown by the wind? Would you chase dry straw? | 25Do you wish to torment a windblown leaf and chase after dry chaff? |
| 26“You write bitter accusations against me and bring up all the sins of my youth. | 26For you write down bitter things against me and cause me to inherit the sins of my youth. |
| 27You put my feet in stocks. You examine all my paths. You trace all my footprints. | 27And you put my feet in the stocks and you watch all my movements; you put marks on the soles of my feet. |
| 28I waste away like rotting wood, like a moth-eaten coat. | 28So I waste away like something rotten, like a garment eaten by moths. |
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