Job Prepares His Case

1Loe, mine eye hath seene all this: mine eare hath heard, and vnderstande it.

2I knowe also as much as you knowe: I am not inferiour vnto you.

3But I will speake to the Almightie, and I desire to dispute with God.

4For in deede ye forge lyes, and all you are physitions of no value.

5Oh, that you woulde holde your tongue, that it might be imputed to you for wisedome!

6Nowe heare my disputation, and giue eare to the arguments of my lips.

7Will ye speake wickedly for Gods defence, and talke deceitfully for his cause?

8Will ye accept his person? or will ye contende for God?

9Is it well that he shoulde seeke of you? will you make a lye for him, as one lyeth for a man?

10He will surely reprooue you, if ye doe secretly accept any person.

11Shall not his excellencie make you afraid? and his feare fall vpon you?

12Your memories may be compared vnto ashes, and your bodyes to bodyes of clay.

13Holde your tongues in my presence, that I may speake, and let come vpon what will.

14Wherefore doe I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my soule in mine hande?

15Loe, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him, and I will reprooue my wayes in his sight.

16He shalbe my saluation also: for the hypocrite shall not come before him.

17Heare diligently my wordes, and marke my talke.

18Beholde nowe: if I prepare me to iudgement, I knowe that I shalbe iustified.

19Who is he, that will pleade with me? for if I nowe holde my tongue, I dye.

20But doe not these two things vnto me: then will I not hide my selfe from thee.

21Withdrawe thine hande from me, and let not thy feare make me afraide.

22Then call thou, and I will answere: or let me speake, and answere thou me.

23Howe many are mine iniquities & sinnes? shewe me my rebellion, and my sinne.

24Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and takest me for thine enemie?

25Wilt thou breake a leafe driuen to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the drie stubble?

26For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth.

27Thou puttest my feete also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly vnto all my pathes, and makest the print thereof in ye heeles of my feet.

28Such one consumeth like a rotten thing, and as a garment that is motheaten.