Job 13
Good News Translation
13 1-2 Everything you say, I have heard before.
I understand it all; I know as much as you do.
I'm not your inferior.
3 But my dispute is with God, not you;
I want to argue my case with him.
4 You cover up your ignorance with lies;
you are like doctors who can't heal anyone.
5 Say nothing, and someone may think you are wise!
6 Listen while I state my case.
7 Why are you lying?
Do you think your lies will benefit God?
8 Are you trying to defend him?
Are you going to argue his case in court?
9 If God looks at you closely, will he find anything good?
Do you think you can fool God the way you fool others?
10 Even though your prejudice is hidden,
he will reprimand you,
11 and his power will fill you with terror.
12 Your proverbs are as useless as ashes;
your arguments are as weak as clay.
13 Be quiet and give me a chance to speak,
and let the results be what they will.
14 I am[a] ready to risk my life.
15 I've lost all hope, so what if God kills me?
I am going to state my case to him.
16 It may even be that my boldness will save me,
since no wicked person would dare to face God.
17 Now listen to my words of explanation.
18 I am ready to state my case,
because I know I am in the right.
19 Are you coming to accuse me, God?
If you do, I am ready to be silent and die.
20 Let me ask for two things; agree to them,
and I will not try to hide from you:
21 stop punishing me, and don't crush me with terror.
22 Speak first, O God, and I will answer.
Or let me speak, and you answer me.
23 What are my sins? What wrongs have I done?
What crimes am I charged with?
24 Why do you avoid me?
Why do you treat me like an enemy?
25 Are you trying to frighten me? I'm nothing but a leaf;
you are attacking a piece of dry straw.
26 You bring bitter charges against me,
even for what I did when I was young.
27 (A)You bind chains on my feet;
you watch every step I take,
and even examine my footprints.
28 As a result, I crumble like rotten wood,
like a moth-eaten coat.
Footnotes
- Job 13:14 One ancient translation I am; Hebrew Why am I.
Job 13
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
13 “Look, 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,[a]
and I desire to argue my case with God.(A)
4 As for you, you whitewash with lies;
all of you are worthless physicians.(B)
5 If you would only keep silent,
that would be your wisdom!(C)
6 Hear now my reasoning,
and listen to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will you speak falsely for God
and speak deceitfully for him?
8 Will you show partiality toward him;
will you plead the case for God?
9 Will it be well with you when he searches you out?
Or can you deceive him as one person deceives another?(D)
10 He will surely rebuke you
if in secret you show partiality.
11 Will not his majesty terrify you
and the dread of him fall upon you?
12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
your defenses are defenses of clay.(E)
13 “Let me have silence, and I will speak,
and let come on me what may.
14 I will take my flesh in my teeth
and put my life in my hand.[b](F)
15 See, he will kill me; I have no hope;[c]
but I will defend my ways to his face.(G)
16 This will be my salvation,
that the godless shall not come before him.(H)
17 Listen carefully to my words,
and let my declaration be in your ears.(I)
18 I have indeed prepared my case;
I know that I shall be vindicated.
19 Who is there who will contend with me?
For then I would be silent and die.(J)
Job’s Despondent Prayer
20 “Only grant two things to me;
then I will not hide myself from your face:
21 withdraw your hand far from me,
and do not let dread of you terrify me.(K)
22 Then call, and I will answer;
or let me speak, and you reply to me.(L)
23 How many are my iniquities and my sins?
Make me know my transgression and my sin.(M)
24 Why do you hide your face
and count me as your enemy?(N)
25 Will you frighten a windblown leaf
and pursue dry chaff?(O)
26 For you write bitter things against me
and make me reap[d] the iniquities of my youth.(P)
27 You put my feet in the stocks
and watch all my paths;
you set a bound to the soles of my feet.
28 One wastes away like a rotten thing,
like a garment that is moth-eaten.(Q)
Job 13
Complete Jewish Bible
13 “All this I have seen with my own eyes;
with my own ears I have heard and understood it.
2 Whatever you know, I know too;
I am not inferior to you.
3 However, it’s Shaddai I want to speak with;
I want to prove my case to God.
4 But you, what you do is whitewash with lies;
you are all witch doctors!
5 I wish you would just stay silent;
for you, that would be wisdom!
6 “Now listen to my reasoning,
pay attention to how I present my dispute.
7 Is it for God’s sake that you speak so wickedly?
for him that you talk deceitfully?
8 Do you need to take his side
and plead God’s case for him?
9 If he examines you, will all go well?
Can you deceive him, as one man deceives another?
10 If you are secretly flattering [him],
he will surely rebuke you.
11 Doesn’t God’s majesty terrify you?
Aren’t you overcome with dread of him?
12 Your maxims are garbage-proverbs;
your answers crumble like clay.
13 “So be quiet! Let me be! I’ll do the talking,
come on me what may!
14 Why am I taking my flesh in my teeth,
taking my life in my hands?
15 Look, he will kill me — I don’t expect more,
but I will still defend my ways to his face.
16 And this is what will save me —
that a hypocrite cannot appear before him.
17 “Listen closely, then, to my words;
pay attention to what I am saying.
18 Here, now, I have prepared my case;
I know I am in the right.
19 If anyone can contend with me,
I will be quiet and die!
20 “Only grant two things to me, God;
then I won’t hide myself from your face —
21 take your hand away from me,
and don’t let fear of you frighten me.
22 Then, if you call, I will answer.
Or let me speak, and you, answer me!
23 How many crimes and sins have I committed?
Make me know my transgression and sin.
24 Why do you hide your face
and think of me as your enemy?
25 Do you want to harass a wind-driven leaf?
do you want to pursue a dry straw?
26 Is this why you draw up bitter charges against me
and punish me for the faults of my youth?
27 You put my feet in the stocks,
you watch me closely wherever I go,
you trace out each footprint of mine —
28 though [my body] decays like something rotten
or like a moth-eaten garment.
Job 13
The Message
I’m Taking My Case to God
13 1-5 “Yes, I’ve seen all this with my own eyes,
heard and understood it with my very own ears.
Everything you know, I know,
so I’m not taking a backseat to any of you.
I’m taking my case straight to God Almighty;
I’ve had it with you—I’m going directly to God.
You graffiti my life with lies.
You’re a bunch of pompous quacks!
I wish you’d shut your mouths—
silence is your only claim to wisdom.
6-12 “Listen now while I make my case,
consider my side of things for a change.
Or are you going to keep on lying ‘to do God a service’?
to make up stories ‘to get him off the hook’?
Why do you always take his side?
Do you think he needs a lawyer to defend himself?
How would you fare if you were in the witness stand?
Your lies might convince a jury—but would they convince God?
He’d reprimand you on the spot
if he detected a bias in your witness.
Doesn’t his splendor put you in awe?
Aren’t you afraid to speak cheap lies before him?
Your wise sayings are knickknack wisdom,
good for nothing but gathering dust.
13-19 “So hold your tongue while I have my say,
then I’ll take whatever I have coming to me.
Why do I go out on a limb like this
and take my life in my hands?
Because even if he killed me, I’d keep on hoping.
I’d defend my innocence to the very end.
Just wait, this is going to work out for the best—my salvation!
If I were guilt-stricken do you think I’d be doing this—
laying myself on the line before God?
You’d better pay attention to what I’m telling you,
listen carefully with both ears.
Now that I’ve laid out my defense,
I’m sure that I’ll be acquitted.
Can anyone prove charges against me?
I’ve said my piece. I rest my case.
Why Does God Stay Hidden and Silent?
20-27 “Please, God, I have two requests;
grant them so I’ll know I count with you:
First, lay off the afflictions;
the terror is too much for me.
Second, address me directly so I can answer you,
or let me speak and then you answer me.
How many sins have been charged against me?
Show me the list—how bad is it?
Why do you stay hidden and silent?
Why treat me like I’m your enemy?
Why kick me around like an old tin can?
Why beat a dead horse?
You compile a long list of mean things about me,
even hold me accountable for the sins of my youth.
You hobble me so I can’t move about.
You watch every move I make,
and brand me as a dangerous character.
28 “Like something rotten, human life fast decomposes,
like a moth-eaten shirt or a mildewed blouse.”
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson