Job 13-15

¹Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, Mine ear hath heard and understood it.

²What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.

³Surely I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to reason with God.

⁴But ye are forgers of lies; Ye are all physicians of no value.

⁵Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! And it would be your wisdom.

⁶Hear now my reasoning, And hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

¹Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.

²What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.

³Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

⁴But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

⁵O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

⁶Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

⁷Will ye speak unrighteously for God, And talk deceitfully for him?

⁸Will ye show partiality to him? Will ye contend for God?

⁹Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceiveth a man, will ye deceive him?

¹⁰He will surely reprove you, If ye do secretly show partiality.

¹¹Shall not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall upon you?

¹²Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, Your defences are defences of clay.

¹³Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak; And let come on me what will.

⁷Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

⁸Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

⁹Is 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 ye do secretly accept persons.

¹¹Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?

¹²Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

¹³Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

¹⁴Wherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hand?

¹⁵Behold, he will slay me; I have no hope: Nevertheless I will maintain my ways before him.

¹⁶This also shall be my salvation, That a godless man shall not come before him.

¹⁷Hear diligently my speech, And let my declaration be in your ears.

¹⁸Behold now, I have set my cause in order; I know that I am righteous.

¹⁴Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

¹⁵Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

¹⁶He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

¹⁷Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.

¹⁸Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.

¹⁹Who is he that will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the ghost.

²⁰Only do not two things unto me; Then will I not hide myself from thy face: ²¹Withdraw thy hand far from me; And let not thy terror make me afraid.

²²Then call thou, and I will answer; Or let me speak, and answer thou me.

²³How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin.

¹⁹Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.

²⁰Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.

²¹Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.

²²Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

²³How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

²⁴Wherefore hidest thou thy face, And holdest me for thine enemy?

²⁵Wilt thou harass a driven leaf? And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

²⁶For thou writest bitter things against me, And makest me to inherit the iniquities of my youth: ²⁷Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, And markest all my paths; Thou settest a bound to the soles of my feet: ²⁸Though I am like a rotten thing that consumeth, Like a garment that is moth-eaten.

²⁴Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

²⁵Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

²⁶For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

²⁷Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.

²⁸And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.

¹Man, that is born of a woman, Is of few days, and full of trouble.

²He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

¹Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

²He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

³And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, And bringest me into judgment with thee?

⁴Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

⁵Seeing his days are determined, The number of his months is with thee, And thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; ⁶Look away from him, that he may rest, Till he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.

⁷For there is hope of a tree, If it be cut down, that it will sprout again, And that the tender branch thereof will not cease.

³And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

⁴Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

⁵Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

⁶Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.

⁷For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.

⁸Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, And the stock thereof die in the ground; ⁹Yet through the scent of water it will bud, And put forth boughs like a plant.

¹⁰But man dieth, and is laid low: Yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?

¹¹As the waters fail from the sea, And the river wasteth and drieth up; ¹²So man lieth down and riseth not: Till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, Nor be roused out of their sleep.

¹³Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, That thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, That thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!

⁸Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;

⁹Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

¹⁰But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?

¹¹As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:

¹²So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

¹³O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!

¹⁴If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my warfare would I wait, Till my release should come.

¹⁵Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee: Thou wouldest have a desire to the work of thy hands.

¹⁶But now thou numberest my steps: Dost thou not watch over my sin?

¹⁷My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And thou fastenest up mine iniquity.

¹⁴If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

¹⁵Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.

¹⁶For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?

¹⁷My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.

¹⁸But the mountain falling cometh to nought; And the rock is removed out of its place; ¹⁹The waters wear the stones; The overflowings thereof wash away the dust of the earth: So thou destroyest the hope of man.

²⁰Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

²¹His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; And they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.

²²But his flesh upon him hath pain, And his soul within him mourneth.

¹⁸And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.

¹⁹The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.

²⁰Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

²¹His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.

²²But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.

¹Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said, ²Should a wise man make answer with vain knowledge, And fill himself with the east wind?

¹Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

²Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?

³Should he reason with unprofitable talk, Or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

⁴Yea, thou doest away with fear, And hinderest devotion before God.

⁵For thine iniquity teacheth thy mouth, And thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.

⁶Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I; Yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

³Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

⁴Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.

⁵For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.

⁶Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

⁷Art thou the first man that was born? Or wast thou brought forth before the hills?

⁸Hast thou heard the secret counsel of God? And dost thou limit wisdom to thyself?

⁹What knowest thou, that we know not? What understandest thou, which is not in us?

¹⁰With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men, Much elder than thy father.

⁷Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?

⁸Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?

⁹What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?

¹⁰With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.

¹¹Are the consolations of God too small for thee, Even the word that is gentle toward thee?

¹²Why doth thy heart carry thee away? And why do thine eyes flash, ¹³That against God thou turnest thy spirit, And lettest words go out of thy mouth?

¹¹Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?

¹²Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,

¹³That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?

¹⁴What is man, that he should be clean? And he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

¹⁵Behold, he putteth no trust in his holy ones; Yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight: ¹⁶How much less one that is abominable and corrupt, A man that drinketh iniquity like water!

¹⁷I will show thee, hear thou me; And that which I have seen I will declare ¹⁸(Which wise men have told From their fathers, and have not hid it; ¹⁹Unto whom alone the land was given, And no stranger passed among them): ²⁰The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, Even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.

²¹A sound of terrors is in his ears; In prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.

²²He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, And he is waited for of the sword.

²³He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? He knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

²⁴Distress and anguish make him afraid; They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.

²⁵Because he hath stretched out his hand against God, And behaveth himself proudly against the Almighty;

¹⁴What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

¹⁵Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.

¹⁶How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?

¹⁷I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;

¹⁸Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:

¹⁹Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.

²⁰The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.

²¹A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.

²²He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.

²³He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

²⁴Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.

²⁵For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.

²⁶He runneth upon him with a stiff neck, With the thick bosses of his bucklers; ²⁷Because he hath covered his face with his fatness, And gathered fat upon his loins; ²⁸And he hath dwelt in desolate cities, In houses which no man inhabited, Which were ready to become heaps; ²⁹He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, Neither shall their possessions be extended on the earth.

³⁰He shall not depart out of darkness; The flame shall dry up his branches, And by the breath of God’s mouth shall he go away.

³¹Let him not trust in vanity, deceiving himself; For vanity shall be his recompense.

²⁶He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:

²⁷Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.

²⁸And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.

²⁹He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.

³⁰He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.

³¹Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.

³²It shall be accomplished before his time, And his branch shall not be green.

³³He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, And shall cast off his flower as the olive-tree.

³⁴For the company of the godless shall be barren, And fire shall consume the tents of bribery.

³⁵They conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity, And their heart prepareth deceit.

³²It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.

³³He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.

³⁴For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.

³⁵They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.