King James Version KJV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.
1
"Look, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it.
2 What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.
2
What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.
3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
3
But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God.
4 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
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As for you, you whitewash with lies; all of you are worthless physicians.
5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.
5
If you would only keep silent, that would be your wisdom!
6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
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Hear now my reasoning, and listen to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
7
Will you speak falsely for God, and speak deceitfully for him?
8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
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Will you show partiality toward him, will you plead the case for God?
9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?
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Will it be well with you when he searches you out? Or can you deceive him, as one person deceives another?
10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
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He will surely rebuke you if in secret you show partiality.
11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?
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Will not his majesty terrify you, and the dread of him fall upon you?
12 Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.
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Your maxims are proverbs of ashes, your defenses are defenses of clay.
13 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.
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"Let me have silence, and I will speak, and let come on me what may.
14 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
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I will take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand.
15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
15
See, he will kill me; I have no hope; but I will defend my ways to his face.
16 He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.
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This will be my salvation, that the godless shall not come before him.
17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.
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Listen carefully to my words, and let my declaration be in your ears.
18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.
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I have indeed prepared my case; I know that I shall be vindicated.
19 Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.
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Who is there that will contend with me? For then I would be silent and die.
20 Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.
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Only grant two things to me, then I will not hide myself from your face:
21 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.
21
withdraw your hand far from me, and do not let dread of you terrify me.
22 Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.
22
Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and you reply to me.
23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.
23
How many are my iniquities and my sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin.
24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?
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Why do you hide your face, and count me as your enemy?
25 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
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Will you frighten a windblown leaf and pursue dry chaff?
26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.
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For you write bitter things against me, and make me reap the iniquities of my youth.
27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.
27
You put my feet in the stocks, and watch all my paths; you set a bound to the soles of my feet.
28 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.
28
One wastes away like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.