001 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.
002 What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.
003 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
004 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
005 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.
006 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
007 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
008 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
009 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?
010 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
011 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?
012 Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.
013 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.
014 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
015 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
016 He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.
017 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.
018 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.
019 Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.
020 Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.
021 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.
022 Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.
023 How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.
024 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?
025 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
026 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.
027 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.
028 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.