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Job 13
The Voice
Job 13
The Voice
13 Job: Look. I’ve seen it all with my eyes,
heard and understood it with my ears.
2 What you know, I know, too;
don’t think I am so far beneath you!
3 Let our differences be clear; I am ready to speak to the Highest One,[a]
eagerly wanting to argue my case with God.
4 But you! You smear me with lies as if to help,
but as healers you are worthless.
5 Would that you were totally silent.
At least that would make you seem wise.
6 Please, just listen while I reason this out;
lean in to hear how my lips will plead.
7 Will you try to defend God’s cause by telling lies?
Be deceitful on His behalf?
8 Will you show partiality for Him?
Argue on His behalf?
9 How would you fare
if He searched your soul?
Do you think you might deceive Him
as you would any other person?
10 No. He would bring charges against you
even if you secretly show partiality.
11 Aren’t you horrified at the weight of His majesty?
Isn’t the dread of Him enough to drop you where you stand?
12 All your quoted proverbs turn to ash;
your clever comebacks crumble like brittle towers of clay.
Job will take his chances before God. He still trusts Him, even if God chooses to take his life.
13 So keep your mouths shut around me, and let me speak to God.
And whatever may come, let it come.
14 Why should I lay my body at the mercy of the words of my own mouth
or risk my life with only my own hands to defend me?
15 Look, He may well kill me,
but I will hope in Him.
Still I will be ready to argue my case before His very face.
16 In fact, this will become my salvation,
for the godless wouldn’t even dare to approach Him.
17 So then here is my account. Listen carefully!
Give me a chance to share my side of the story with you.
18 My case is prepared, and I am confident
I will be found righteous.
19 And yet who will meet me in court to argue the other side?
If I am out-argued, then I will stay mute until I die.
20 Lord, I ask only two concessions in this case;
if You grant them, I will not hide from Your face.
21 First, remove Your damaging hand from me;
second don’t intimidate me anymore with your terrifying presence.
22 Then send me Your summons, and I will reply,
or better yet, I will speak first and then You answer me.
23 How many counts do You have against me?
How many sins must I account for?
Spell out the nature of Your indictment against my rebellious ways.
24 Why do You hide Your face from me;
why is my name now “nemesis”[b] to You?
25 Would You waste Your energy to terrify a windblown leaf,
or chase down the dry chaff as it tumbles in the breeze?
26 For I see bitter accusations against me written in Your own hand;
You call me to account for the guilt of my youth.
27 You fasten shackles at my ankles but still keep close watch on where I walk,
marking the places where my feet may plant themselves.
28 This is how a person wastes away to nothing,
like something rotten, like moth-eaten clothing.
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
King James Version
Job 13
King James Version
13 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.
2 What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.
3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.
4 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.
5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.
6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?
9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?
10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?
12 Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.
13 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.
14 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
16 He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.
17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.
18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.
19 Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.
20 Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.
21 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.
22 Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.
23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.
24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?
25 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess 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.
28 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.
The Voice (VOICE)
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.