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13:1  [Job continued:] “Behold, my eye has seen all this, My ear has heard and understood it.
13:2  “What you know I also know; I am not inferior to you.
13:3  “But I wish to speak to the Almighty, And I desire to argue with God.
13:4  “But you smear me with lies [you defame my character most untruthfully]; You are all worthless physicians and have no remedy to offer.
13:5  “Oh, that you would be completely silent, And that silence would be your wisdom!
13:6  “Please hear my argument And listen to the pleadings of my lips.
13:7  “Will you speak what is unjust for God, And speak what is deceitful for Him?
13:8  “Will you show partiality for Him [and be unjust to me so that you may gain favor with Him]? Will you contend and plead for God?
13:9  “Will it be well for you when He investigates you [and your tactics against me]? Or will you deceive Him as one deceives a man?
13:10  “He will surely reprimand you If you secretly show partiality.
13:11  “Will not His majesty terrify you, And will not the dread of Him fall upon you?
13:12  “Your memorable sayings are [worthless, merely] proverbs of ashes; Your defenses are defenses of [crumbling] clay.
13:13  “Be silent before me so that I may speak; And let happen to me what may.
13:14  “Why should I take my flesh in my teeth And put my life in my hands [incurring the wrath of God]?
13:15  “Even though He kills me; I will hope in Him. Nevertheless, I will argue my ways to His face.
13:16  “This also will be my salvation, For a godless man may not come before Him.
13:17  “Listen diligently to my speech, And let my declaration fill your ears.
13:18  “Behold now, I have prepared my case; I know that I will be vindicated.
13:19  “Who will argue and contend with me? For then I would be silent and die.
13:20  “Only [O Lord,] do not do two things to me, And then I will not hide myself from Your face:
13:21  Withdraw Your hand from me and remove this bodily suffering, And let not the dread of You terrify me.
13:22  “Then [Lord,] call, and I will answer; Or let me speak, and then reply to me.
13:23  “How many are my iniquities and sins [that so much sorrow should come to me]? Make me recognize and understand my transgression and my sin.
13:24  “Why do You hide Your face [as if offended] And consider me Your enemy?
13:25  “Will You cause a windblown leaf to tremble? Will You pursue the chaff of the dry stubble?
13:26  “For You write bitter things against me [in Your indictment] And make me inherit and suffer for the iniquities of my youth.
13:27  “You also put my feet in the stocks [as punishment] And [critically] observe all my paths; You set a circle and limit around the soles of my feet [which I must not overstep],
13:28  While I waste away like a rotten thing, Like a garment that is moth-eaten.