¶ Lo,¹ mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear² hath heard and understood it.

³What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.

Surely⁴ I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire⁵ to reason with God.

But ye are forgers⁶ of lies, ye are all physicians⁷ of no value.

O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it⁹ should be your wisdom.

¹⁰Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

¹¹Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

¹²Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

Is it good that he should search¹³ you out? or as one¹⁴ man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

¶ He will surely reprove¹⁵ you, if ye do secretly accept persons.

Shall¹⁶ not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread¹⁷ fall upon you?

Your remembrances¹⁸ are like unto ashes¹⁹, your bodies to bodies²⁰ of clay.

¶ Hold your peace²¹, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come²² on me what will.

Wherefore do I take²³ my flesh in my teeth, and put²⁴ my life in mine hand?

Though he slay me,²⁵ yet will I trust in him: but I will²⁶ maintain²⁷ mine own ways before him.

He also shall be my salvation²⁸: for an hypocrite²⁹ shall not come before him.

³⁰Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.

Behold now, I have ordered³¹ my cause; I know³² that I shall be justified.

Who is he that will plead³³ with me? for now, if I hold³⁴ my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.

¶ Only do not two³⁵ things unto me: then will I not hide myself³⁶ from thee.

Withdraw³⁷ thine hand far from me: and let not³⁸ thy dread make me afraid.

³⁹Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

¶ How many⁴⁰ are mine iniquities and sins? make me⁴¹ to know my transgression and my sin.

Wherefore hidest thou⁴² thy face, and holdest me⁴³ for thine enemy?

Wilt thou break⁴⁴ a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

For thou writest⁴⁵ bitter things against me, and makest⁴⁶ me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

Thou puttest⁴⁷ my feet also in the stocks, and lookest⁴⁸ narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest⁴⁹ a print upon the heels⁵⁰ of my feet.

And he,⁵¹ as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment⁵² that is moth eaten.