| 1 ¶ Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.
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| 2 What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.
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| 3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
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| 4 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
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| 5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.
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| 6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
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| 7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
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| 8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
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| 9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?
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| 10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
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| 11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?
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| 12 Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.
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| 13 ¶ Hold1 your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.
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| 14 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
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| 15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain2 mine own ways before him.
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| 16 He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.
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| 17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.
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| 18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.
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| 19 Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.
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| 20 Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.
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| 21 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.
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| 22 Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.
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| 23 ¶ How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.
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| 24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?
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| 25 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
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| 26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.
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| 27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest3 narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels4 of my feet.
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| 28 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.
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