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
International Children’s Bible
13 “My eyes have seen all this.
My ears have heard and understood it.
2 What you know, I also know.
You are not better than I am.
3 But I want to speak to God All-Powerful.
I want to argue my case with God.
4 But you smear me with lies.
You are worthless doctors, all of you!
5 I wish you would just stop talking.
Then you would really be wise!
6 Listen to my argument.
Hear my lips begging.
7 You should not speak for God by saying evil things.
You cannot speak God’s truth by telling lies.
8 You should not unfairly choose his side against mine.
You should not argue the case for God.
9 You will not do well if he examines you.
You cannot fool God as you might fool men.
10 God would surely scold you
if you unfairly took one person’s side.
11 His bright glory would scare you.
You would be very much afraid of him.
12 Your wise sayings are worth no more than ashes.
Your arguments are as weak as clay.
13 “Be quiet and let me speak.
Then let things happen to me as they will.
14 I will put myself in danger
and take my life in my own hands.
15 He will kill me. I have no hope.[a]
But I still will defend my ways to his face.
16 This might really save me,
because a wicked man would not be brave enough to come before him.
17 Listen carefully to what I say.
Let your ears hear what I say.
18 See now, I have prepared my case.
I know I will be proved right.
19 No one can blame me for doing wrong.
If someone can, I will be quiet and die.
20 “God, please just give me these two things.
Then I will not hide from you.
21 Take your punishment away from me.
And stop frightening me with your terrors.
22 Then call me, and I will answer.
Or let me speak and you answer.
23 How many evil things and sins have I done?
Show me my wrong and my sin.
24 Don’t hide your face from me.
Don’t think of me as your enemy.
25 Don’t punish a leaf that is blown by the wind.
Don’t chase after dry chaff.
26 You write down cruel things against me.
You make me suffer for sins I did when I was young.
27 You put my feet in chains.
You keep close watch on everywhere I go.
And you mark the soles of my feet.
28 So man wears out like something rotten.
He is like clothing that has been eaten by moths.
Footnotes
- 13:15 He . . . hope. Or “Even if God kills me, I will still put my hope in him.”
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
