1"Lo, 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 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.
13"Hold your peace; let me alone that I may speak, and let come on me what will.
14Why 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 argue mine own ways before Him.
16He also shall be my salvation, for a hypocrite shall not come before Him.
17Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.
18Behold now, I have prepared my cause; I know that I shall be justified.
19Who is he that will plead with me? For now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.
20"Only 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.
24Why 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 mark upon the heels of my feet.
28And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is motheaten.