⁴ You, however, smear me with lies;^(A)
    you are worthless physicians,^(B) all of you!^(C)
5 If only you would be altogether silent!^(D)
    For you, that would be wisdom.^(E)
6 Hear now my argument;
    listen to the pleas of my lips.^(F)
7 Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf?
    Will you speak deceitfully for him?^(G)
8 Will you show him partiality?^(H)
    Will you argue the case for God?
⁹ Would it turn out well if he examined you?^(I)
    Could you deceive him as you might deceive a mortal?^(J)
10 He would surely call you to account
    if you secretly showed partiality.^(K)
11 Would not his splendor^(L) terrify you?
    Would not the dread of him fall on you?^(M)
12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
    your defenses are defenses of clay.^(N)

¹³ “Keep silent^(O) and let me speak;^(P)
    then let come to me what may.^(Q)

² “I have heard many things like these;
    you are miserable comforters,^(A) all of you!^(B)
3 Will your long-winded speeches never end?^(C)
    What ails you that you keep on arguing?^(D)
4 I also could speak like you,
    if you were in my place;
I could make fine speeches against you
    and shake my head^(E) at you.

² “How long will you torment^(A) me
    and crush^(B) me with words?
³ Ten times^(C) now you have reproached^(D) me;
    shamelessly you attack me.
⁴ If it is true that I have gone astray,
    my error^(E) remains my concern alone.
⁵ If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me^(F)
    and use my humiliation against me,

30 “But now they mock me,^(A)
    men younger than I,
whose fathers I would have disdained
    to put with my sheep dogs.^(B)
2 Of what use was the strength of their hands to me,
    since their vigor had gone from them?
³ Haggard from want and hunger,
    they roamed^[a] the parched land^(C)
    in desolate wastelands^(D) at night.^(E)
4 In the brush they gathered salt herbs,^(F)
    and their food^[b] was the root of the broom bush.^(G)
5 They were banished from human society,
    shouted at as if they were thieves.
⁶ They were forced to live in the dry stream beds,
    among the rocks and in holes in the ground.^(H)
7 They brayed^(I) among the bushes^(J)
    and huddled in the undergrowth.
⁸ A base and nameless brood,^(K)
    they were driven out of the land.^(L)

⁹ “And now those young men mock me^(M) in song;^(N)
    I have become a byword^(O) among them.
¹⁰ They detest me^(P) and keep their distance;
    they do not hesitate to spit in my face.^(Q)