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13:1  “·Now [Look,] my eyes have seen all this; my ears have heard and understood it [C Job claims to be as wise as the three friends].
13:2  What you know, I also know. ·You are not better than I am [L I am not inferior to you; 12:3].
13:3  But I want to speak to ·the Almighty [Shaddai] and [L I would love] to ·argue my case with [reprove] God.
13:4  But you smear me with lies [C good doctors would smear their patients with healing lotions]. You are worthless ·doctors [physicians], all of you!
13:5  I wish you would just ·stop talking [shut up]; then you would really be wise [Prov. 17:28]!
13:6  Listen to my ·argument [reproof], and ·hear [L pay attention to] the ·pleading [L accusation] of my lips.
13:7  ·You should not speak evil in the name of [L Will you speak unjustly for…?] God; ·you cannot speak God’s truth by telling lies [L will you speak deceitful things about him?].
13:8  ·You should not unfairly choose his side against mine [L Will you favor him…?]; ·you should not argue the case [L if you make an accusation] for God.
13:9  ·You will not do [Will it go…?] well if he examines you; you cannot ·fool [deceive] God as you might ·fool [deceive] humans.
13:10  God would surely ·scold [reprimand; reprove] you if you ·unfairly [or secretly] took one person’s side.
13:11  [L Does not…?] His ·bright glory [majesty] would scare you, and ·you would be very much afraid of him [L his fear fall on you].
13:12  Your ·wise sayings [L proclamations] are ·worth no more than ashes [L are made of dust], and your ·arguments [responses] are ·as weak as [L made of] clay.
13:13  “Be quiet and let me speak. Let things happen to me as they will.
13:14  ·Why should I [or I will…] ·put myself in danger [L take my flesh in my teeth; C a metaphor for risk-taking] and take my life in my own ·hands [L palm]?
13:15  ·Even if God kills me, I have hope in him [or See, he will kill me; I have no hope]; I will ·still defend [reprove him concerning] my ways to his face.
13:16  This is my salvation. The wicked cannot come ·before him [into his presence].
13:17  Listen ·carefully [closely] to my words; let your ears hear what I say.
13:18  See, I have prepared ·my case [for the judgment], and I know I ·will be proved right [or am righteous].
13:19  ·No one can accuse [L Who is it that accuses…?] me of doing wrong. If someone can, I will be quiet and die.
13:20  “God, please just give me these two things, and then I will not hide from you:
13:21  Take your ·punishment [L palm] away from me, and stop frightening me with your terrors.
13:22  Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and you answer.
13:23  ·How many [or What are the] ·evil things [faults] and sins have I done? ·Show [Make known to] me my ·wrong [transgressions] and my sin.
13:24  ·Don’t [L Why do you…?] hide your face from me; don’t ·think of me as [consider me] your enemy [Ps. 30:6–7].
13:25  ·Don’t punish [L Will you frighten…?] a leaf that is blown by the wind; ·don’t [L and] chase after straw.
13:26  You write down ·cruel [bitter] things against me and make me ·suffer for [inherit] my boyhood sins.
13:27  You put my feet in ·chains [stocks] and ·keep close watch wherever I go [L guard all my paths]. You even ·mark [incise; cut] the soles of my feet [C to leave a distinctive footprint easily followed].
13:28  “Everyone wears out like something rotten, like clothing eaten by moths.