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Job 13
New International Version
Job 13
New International Version
13 “My eyes have seen all this,(A)
my ears have heard and understood it.
2 What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.(B)
3 But I desire to speak to the Almighty(C)
and to argue my case with God.(D)
4 You, however, smear me with lies;(E)
you are worthless physicians,(F) all of you!(G)
5 If only you would be altogether silent!(H)
For you, that would be wisdom.(I)
6 Hear now my argument;
listen to the pleas of my lips.(J)
7 Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf?
Will you speak deceitfully for him?(K)
8 Will you show him partiality?(L)
Will you argue the case for God?
9 Would it turn out well if he examined you?(M)
Could you deceive him as you might deceive a mortal?(N)
10 He would surely call you to account
if you secretly showed partiality.(O)
11 Would not his splendor(P) terrify you?
Would not the dread of him fall on you?(Q)
12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
your defenses are defenses of clay.(R)
13 “Keep silent(S) and let me speak;(T)
then let come to me what may.(U)
14 Why do I put myself in jeopardy
and take my life in my hands?(V)
15 Though he slay me, yet will I hope(W) in him;(X)
I will surely[a] defend my ways to his face.(Y)
16 Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,(Z)
for no godless(AA) person would dare come before him!(AB)
17 Listen carefully to what I say;(AC)
let my words ring in your ears.
18 Now that I have prepared my case,(AD)
I know I will be vindicated.(AE)
19 Can anyone bring charges against me?(AF)
If so, I will be silent(AG) and die.(AH)
20 “Only grant me these two things, God,
and then I will not hide from you:
21 Withdraw your hand(AI) far from me,
and stop frightening me with your terrors.(AJ)
22 Then summon me and I will answer,(AK)
or let me speak, and you reply to me.(AL)
23 How many wrongs and sins have I committed?(AM)
Show me my offense and my sin.(AN)
24 Why do you hide your face(AO)
and consider me your enemy?(AP)
25 Will you torment(AQ) a windblown leaf?(AR)
Will you chase(AS) after dry chaff?(AT)
26 For you write down bitter things against me
and make me reap the sins of my youth.(AU)
27 You fasten my feet in shackles;(AV)
you keep close watch on all my paths(AW)
by putting marks on the soles of my feet.
Footnotes
- Job 13:15 Or He will surely slay me; I have no hope — / yet I will
Job 13
English Standard Version
Job 13
English Standard Version
Job Continues: Still I Will Hope in God
13 “Behold, my eye has seen all this,
my ear has heard and understood it.
2 (A)What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
3 (B)But I would speak to the Almighty,
and I desire to (C)argue my case with God.
4 As for you, (D)you whitewash with lies;
(E)worthless physicians are you all.
5 Oh that you would (F)keep silent,
and it would be your wisdom!
6 Hear now my argument
and listen to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will you (G)speak falsely for God
and speak (H)deceitfully for him?
8 Will you show partiality toward him?
Will you (I)plead the case for God?
9 Will it be well with you when he (J)searches you out?
Or (K)can you deceive him, as one deceives a man?
10 He will surely rebuke you
if in secret you show partiality.
11 Will not his (L)majesty terrify you,
and the dread of him fall upon you?
12 Your maxims are proverbs of (M)ashes;
your defenses are defenses of clay.
13 “Let me have silence, and I will speak,
and let come on me what may.
14 Why should I take my flesh in my teeth
and (N)put my life in my hand?
15 (O)Though he slay me, I will (P)hope in him;[a]
yet I will (Q)argue my ways to his face.
16 This will be my salvation,
that the godless shall not come before him.
17 (R)Keep listening to my words,
and let my declaration be in your ears.
18 Behold, I have (S)prepared my case;
I know that I shall be in the right.
19 (T)Who is there who will contend with me?
For then I would be silent and die.
20 Only grant me two things,
then I will not (U)hide myself from your face:
21 (V)withdraw your hand far from me,
and let not (W)dread of you terrify me.
22 (X)Then call, and I will answer;
or let me speak, and you reply to me.
23 How many are my iniquities and my sins?
(Y)Make me know my transgression and my sin.
24 Why (Z)do you hide your face
and (AA)count me as your enemy?
25 Will you frighten (AB)a driven leaf
and pursue dry (AC)chaff?
26 For you (AD)write bitter things against me
and make me inherit (AE)the iniquities of my youth.
27 You put my feet in (AF)the stocks
and (AG)watch all my paths;
you set a limit for[b] the soles of my feet.
28 Man[c] wastes away like (AH)a rotten thing,
like a garment that is (AI)moth-eaten.
Job 13
New King James Version
Job 13
New King James Version
Job Defends Himself
13 “Behold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and understood it.
2 (A)What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
3 (B)But I would speak to the Almighty,
And I desire to reason with God.
4 But you forgers of lies,
(C)You are all worthless physicians.
5 Oh, that you would be silent,
And (D)it would be your wisdom!
6 Now hear my reasoning,
And heed the pleadings of my lips.
7 (E)Will you speak [a]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 [b]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[c] your peace with me, and let me speak,
Then let come on me what may!
14 Why (F)do I take my flesh in my teeth,
And put my life in my hands?
15 (G)Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
(H)Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
16 He also shall be my salvation,
For a (I)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 (J)vindicated.
19 (K)Who is he who will contend with me?
If now I hold my tongue, I perish.
Job’s Despondent Prayer
20 “Only(L) two things do not do to me,
Then I will not hide myself from You:
21 (M)Withdraw Your hand far from me,
And let not the dread of You make me afraid.
22 Then call, and I will (N)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 (O)Why do You hide Your face,
And (P)regard me as Your enemy?
25 (Q)Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro?
And will You pursue dry stubble?
26 For You write bitter things against me,
And (R)make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
27 (S)You put my feet in the stocks,
And watch closely all my paths.
You [d]set a limit for the [e]soles of my feet.
28 “Man[f] decays like a rotten thing,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.
Job 13
New Catholic Bible
Job 13
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 13
Be Silent—I Want To Question God[a]
1 “All this I have observed with my own eyes;
my ears have heard and understood it.
2 What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you in any way.
3 But I only wish to speak with the Almighty
and to argue my case with God.
4 As for you, you are obscuring the truth with lies,
and the solutions you offer are all worthless.
5 “Oh, if only you would be completely silent!
For you, that would be regarded as wisdom.
6 Hear now my reasoning
and listen to the plea that issues from my lips.
7 Is it on God’s behalf that you utter lies?
Is it in his defense that you speak deceitfully?
8 Will you show partiality for him
as you plead his case?
9 “Will you feel totally comfortable when he examines you?
Will you be able to deceive him as you deceive men?
10 If you show partiality, even though not flagrant,
he will surely rebuke you.
11 Will not his majesty frighten you
and the fear of him overcome you?
12 The ideas you propose are proverbs of ash;
your arguments are defenses of clay.
13 “Be silent so that I may speak on my own behalf.
Then let what may come upon me.
14 I am taking my life in my own hands
and placing myself in jeopardy.
15 Perhaps he may slay me, but I have no other hope
than to defend my conduct before him.
16 This will prove to be my salvation,
for the godless will not dare to come before him.
I Am Certain That I Will Be Vindicated[b]
17 “Therefore, listen carefully to my words
and give my defense a careful hearing.
18 I have prepared my case carefully,
and I am certain that I will be vindicated.
19 If anyone can make a valid case against me,
then I will be silent and die.
20 “Only grant me two things, O God,
and then I will not hide myself from your face:
21 just withdraw your hand far from me,
and stop frightening me with your terrors.
22 Then summon me, and I will answer,
or let me speak first, and then you can reply.
23 “Of how many crimes and sins am I guilty?
Make known to me my faults and my transgressions.
24 Why do you hide your face[c]
and look upon me as your enemy?
25 Will you harass a wind-blown leaf
and chase after dry chaff?
26 “For you have drawn up bitter charges against me
and caused me to suffer for the iniquities of my youth,
27 putting my feet in the stocks
and keeping a close watch on every step I take
as you trace all my footprints.
28 Thus, I waste away like rotting wood
or like a moth-eaten garment.
Footnotes
- Job 13:1 Job believes that his friends are charlatans, incapable of finding a remedy for his sufferings. Job will do battle alone with God.
- Job 13:17 Before beginning his legal case against God, Job asks for a decrease in his distress and more freedom for his defense.
- Job 13:24 Hide your face: a Semitic expression signifying that God is irritated (Ps 27:9) or indifferent (Pss 30:8; 104:28f), with consequent misfortune for human beings.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
