Job Says His Friends’ Proverbs Are Ashes
13 [Job continued:] “Behold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and understood it.
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“What you know I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
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“But I wish to speak to [a]the Almighty,
And I desire to argue with God.
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“But you smear me with lies [you defame my character most untruthfully];
You are all worthless physicians and have no remedy to offer.
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“Oh, that you would be completely silent,
And that silence would be your wisdom!
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“Please hear my argument
And listen to the pleadings of my lips.
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“Will you speak what is unjust for God,
And speak what is deceitful for Him?
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“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?
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“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?
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“He will surely reprimand you
If you secretly show partiality.
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“Will not His majesty terrify you,
And will not the dread of Him fall upon you?
12
“Your memorable sayings are [worthless, merely] proverbs of ashes;
Your defenses are defenses of [crumbling] clay.
Job Is Sure He Will Be Vindicated
13
“Be silent before me so that I may speak;
And let happen to me what may.
14
“Why should I take my flesh in my teeth
And put my life in my hands [incurring the wrath of God]?
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“Even though He kills me;
I will hope in Him.
Nevertheless, I will argue my ways to His face.
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“This also will be my salvation,
For a godless man may not come before Him.
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“Listen diligently to my speech,
And let my declaration fill your ears.
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“Behold now, I have prepared my case;
I know that I will be vindicated.
19
“Who will argue and contend with me?
For then I would be silent and die.
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“Only [O Lord,] do not do two things to me,
And then I will not hide myself from Your face:
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Withdraw Your hand from me and remove this bodily suffering,
And let not the dread of You terrify me.
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“Then [Lord,] call, and I will answer;
Or let me speak, and then reply to me.
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“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.(A)
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“Why do You hide Your face [as if offended]
And consider me Your enemy?
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“Will You cause a windblown leaf to tremble?
Will You pursue the chaff of the dry stubble?
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“For You write bitter things against me [in Your indictment]
And make me inherit and suffer for the iniquities of my youth.
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“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],
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While I waste away like a rotten thing,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.
Footnotes
- Job 13:3 Heb Shaddai.