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¹ "Behold, my eye has seen all this, My ear has heard and understood it. ² What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. ³ But I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to reason with God. ⁴ But you forgers of lies, You are all worthless physicians. ⁵ Oh, that you would be silent, And it would be your wisdom! ⁶ Now hear my reasoning, And heed the pleadings of my lips. ⁷ Will you speak wickedly for God, And talk deceitfully for Him? ⁸ Will you show partiality for Him? Will you contend for God? ⁹ Will it be well when He searches you out? Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man? ¹⁰ He will surely rebuke you If you secretly show partiality. ¹¹ Will not His excellence make you afraid, And the dread of Him fall upon you? ¹² Your platitudes are proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay.

¹³ "Hold your peace with me, and let me speak, Then let come on me what may! ¹⁴ Why do I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hands? ¹⁵ Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. ¹⁶ He also shall be my salvation, For a hypocrite could not come before Him. ¹⁷ Listen carefully to my speech, And to my declaration with your ears. ¹⁸ See now, I have prepared my case, I know that I shall be vindicated. ¹⁹ Who is he who will contend with me? If now I hold my tongue, I perish. ²⁰ "Only two things do not do to me, Then I will not hide myself from You: ²¹ Withdraw Your hand far from me, And let not the dread of You make me afraid. ²² Then call, and I will answer; Or let me speak, then You respond to me.

²³ How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin. ²⁴ Why do You hide Your face, And regard me as Your enemy? ²⁵ Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro? And will You pursue dry stubble? ²⁶ For You write bitter things against me, And make me inherit the iniquities of my youth. ²⁷ You put my feet in the stocks,And watch closely all my paths.You set a limit [fn] for the soles of my feet. ²⁸ 28 "Man [fn] decays like a rotten thing,Like a garment that is moth-eaten.