Job’s Fourth Speech Continues
1 "Look, my eye has seen everything; my ear has heard and has understood it.
2
{What you know}, I myself also know-- I [am] not more inferior than you.
3
But I would speak to Shaddai, and I desire to argue with God.
4
"But you {whitewash with lies}; all of you [are] {worthless healers}.
5
{O that} you would keep completely silent, and [that] it would become wisdom for you.
6
Please hear my argument, and listen attentively [to the] pleadings of my lips.
7
"Will you speak falsely for God? And will you speak deceitfully for him?
8
{Will you show partiality for him}? Or do you want to plead God's case?
9
[Will it be] well, if he examines you? Or can you deceive him like deceiving a human being?
10
"Surely he will rebuke you if {you show partiality} in secret.
11
Will not his majesty terrify you, and his dread fall upon you?
12
Your maxims [are] proverbs of ashes; your defenses [are] defenses of clay.
13
"{Let me have silence}, and I myself will speak, and let come over me whatever [may].
14
Why should I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in my hand?
15
Look, [though] he kill me, I will hope in him; however, I will defend my ways {before him}.
16
Moreover, this [is] salvation to me, that [the] godless would not come {before him}.
17
"Listen carefully [to] my words, and [let] my exposition [be] in your ears.
18
Please look, I have prepared [my] case; I know that I myself will be vindicated.
19
Who [is] he who will contend with me? For {then} I would be silent, and I would pass away.