Job 13

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Lo, all this my eye has seen; my ear has heard and perceived it.	1 I have seen all this with my own eyes, heard with my own ears and understood.
2 What you know, I also know; I fall not short of you.	2 Whatever you know, I know too; I am in no way inferior to you.
3 But I would speak with the Almighty; I wish to reason with God.	3 But my words are intended for Shaddai; I mean to remonstrate with God.
4 You are glossing over falsehoods and offering vain remedies, every one of you!	4 As for you, you are only charlatans, all worthless as doctors!
5 Oh, that you would be altogether silent! This for you would be wisdom.	5 Wil no one teach you to be quiet -- the only wisdom that becomes you!
6 Hear now the rebuke I shall utter and listen to the reproof from my lips.	6 Kindly listen to my accusation and give your attention to the way I shall plead.
7 Is it for God that you speak falsehood? Is it for him that you utter deceit?	7 Do you mean to defend God by prevarication and by dishonest argument,
8 Is it for him that you show partiality? Do you play advocate on behalf of God?	8 and, taking his side like this, appoint yourselves as his advocates?
9 Will it be well when he shall search you out? Would you impose on him as one does on men?	9 How would you fare, if he were to scrutinise you? Can he be duped as mortals are duped?
10 He will openly rebuke you if even in secret you show partiality.	10 He would inflict a harsh rebuke on you for your covert partiality.
11 Surely will his majesty affright you and the dread of him fall upon you.	11 Does his majesty not affright you? Does his terror not overcome you?
12 Your reminders are ashy maxims, your fabrications are mounds of clay.	12 Your received ideas are maxims of ash, your retorts, retorts of clay.
13 Be silent, let me alone! that I may speak and give vent to my feelings.	13 Be quiet! Kindly let me do the talking, happen to me what may.
14 I will carry my flesh between my teeth, and take my life in my hand.	14 I am putting my flesh between my teeth, I am taking my life in my hands;
15 Slay me though he might, I will wait for him; I will defend my conduct before him.	15 let him kill me if he will; I have no other hope than to justify my conduct in his eyes.
16 And this shall be my salvation, that no impious man can come into his presence.	16 And this is what wil save me, for the wicked would not dare to appear before him.
17 Pay careful heed to my speech, and give my statement a hearing.	17 Listen careful y to my words, and pay attention to what I am going to say.
18 Behold, I have prepared my case, I know that I am in the right.	18 You see, I shal proceed by form of law, knowing that I am upright.
19 If anyone can make a case against me, then I shall be silent and die.	19 Who wants to contest my case? In advance, I agree to be silenced and to die!
20 These things only do not use against me, then from your presence I need not hide:	20 Only grant me two concessions, and then I shal not hide away from your face:
21 Withdraw your hand far from me, and let not the terror of you frighten me.	21 remove your hand, which lies so heavy on me, no longer make me cower from your terror.
22 Then call me, and I will respond; or let me speak first, and answer me.	22 Then cal me forward and I shal answer, or rather, I shall speak and you wil answer.
23 What are my faults and my sins? My misdeeds and my sins make known to me!	23 How many faults and crimes have I committed? Tell me what my misdeed has been, what my sin?
24 Why do you hide your face and consider me your enemy?	24 Why do you hide your face and look on me as your enemy?
25 Will you harass a wind-driven leaf, or pursue a withered straw?	25 Do you want to intimidate a wind-blown leaf, do you want to pursue a dry straw?
26 For you draw up bitter indictments against me, and punish in me the faults of my youth.	26 You who lay bitter al egations against me and tax me with the faults of my youth
27 You put my feet in the stocks; you watch all my paths and trace out all my footsteps.	27 and have put my feet in the stocks; you examine my every step and measure my footprints one byone!
28 Though he wears out like a leather bottle, like a garment that the moth has consumed?	28 For his part, he crumbles away like rotten wood, or like a moth-eaten garment,