13 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this,
Mine ear hath heard and understood it.
² What ye know, the same do I know also:
I am not inferior unto you.

³ Surely I would speak to the Almighty,
And I desire to reason with God.
⁴ But ye are forgers of lies;
Ye are all physicians of no value.
⁵ Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace!
And it would be your wisdom.
⁶ Hear now my reasoning,
And hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
⁷ Will ye speak unrighteously for God,
And talk deceitfully for him?
⁸ Will ye show partiality to him?
Will ye contend for God?
⁹ Is it good that he should search you out?
Or as one ^[a]deceiveth a man, will ye ^[b]deceive him?
¹⁰ He will surely reprove you,
If ye do secretly show partiality.
¹¹ Shall not his majesty make you afraid,
And his dread fall upon you?
¹² Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes,
Your defences are defences of clay.

¹³ Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak;
And let come on me what will.
^14 [c]Wherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth,
And put my life in my hand?
^15 [d]Behold, he will slay me; I have no hope:
Nevertheless I will ^[e]maintain my ways before him.
¹⁶ This also shall be my salvation,
That a godless man shall not come before him.
¹⁷ Hear diligently my speech,
And let my declaration be in your ears.
¹⁸ Behold now, I have set my cause in order;
I know that I ^[f]am righteous.
¹⁹ Who is he that will contend with me?
For then ^[g]would I hold my peace and give up the ghost.

²⁰ Only do not two things unto me;
Then will I not hide myself from thy face:
²¹ Withdraw thy hand far from me;
And let not thy terror make me afraid.
²² Then call thou, and I will answer;
Or let me speak, and answer thou me.
²³ How many are mine iniquities and sins?
Make me to know my transgression and my sin.
²⁴ Wherefore hidest thou thy face,
And holdest me for thine enemy?
²⁵ Wilt thou harass a driven leaf?
And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
²⁶ For thou writest bitter things against me,
And makest me to inherit the iniquities of my youth:
²⁷ Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks,
And markest all my paths;
Thou settest a bound to the soles of my feet:
^28 [h]Though I am like a rotten thing that consumeth,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.