Job Says His Friends’ Proverbs Are Ashes
1“Behold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and understood it.
2What you know I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
3“But I would speak to Heb Shaddaithe Almighty,
And I desire to argue with God.
4But you smear me with lies;
You are all worthless physicians.
5Oh that you would be completely silent,
And that it would become your wisdom!
6Please hear my argument,
And give your attention to the contentions of my lips.
7Will you speak what is unjust for God,
And speak what is deceitful for Him?
8Will you show partiality for Him?
Will you contend for God?
9
Will it go well when He examines you?
Or will you deceive Him as one deceives a man?
10He will certainly punish you
If you secretly show partiality.
11Will His Lit exaltationmajesty not terrify you,
And the dread of Him fall upon you?
12Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes,
Your defenses are defenses of clay.
Job Is Sure He Will Be Vindicated
13“Be silent before me so that I may speak;
Then let come upon me what may.
14Why should I take my flesh in my teeth,
And put my life in my Lit palmhands?
15Though He slay me,
I will Lit wait forhope in Him.
Nevertheless I will argue my ways Lit to His facebefore Him.
16This also will be my salvation,
For a godless person cannot come before His presence.
17Listen carefully to my speech,
And let my declaration fill your ears.
18Behold now, I have prepared my case;
I know that I will be vindicated.
19Who could contend with me?
For then I would be silent and die.
20“Only two things I ask that You do not do to me,
Then I will not hide from Your face:
21Remove Your Lit palmhand from me,
And may the dread of You not terrify me.
22Then call and I will answer;
Or let me speak, then reply to me.
23How many are my guilty deeds and sins?
Make known to me my wrongdoing and my sin.
24Why do You hide Your face
And consider me Your enemy?
25Will You scare away a scattered leaf?
Or will You pursue the dry chaff?
26For You write bitter things against me
And make me inherit the guilty deeds of my youth.
27You put my feet in the stocks
And watch all my paths;
You Lit carve forset a limit for the soles of my feet,
28While Lit he isI am decaying like a rotten thing,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.
New American Standard Bible
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by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved.
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