| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it. | 1"My eyes have seen all this, my ears have heard and understood it. |
| 2What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you. | 2What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. |
| 3Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. | 3But I desire to speak to the Almighty and to argue my case with God. |
| 4But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. | 4You, however, smear me with lies; you are worthless physicians, all of you! |
| 5O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom. | 5If only you would be altogether silent! For you, that would be wisdom. |
| 6Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips. | 6Hear now my argument; listen to the pleas of my lips. |
| 7Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him? | 7Will you speak wickedly on God's behalf? Will you speak deceitfully for him? |
| 8Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God? | 8Will you show him partiality? Will you argue the case for God? |
| 9Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him? | 9Would it turn out well if he examined you? Could you deceive him as you might deceive a mortal? |
| 10He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons. | 10He would surely call you to account if you secretly showed partiality. |
| 11Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you? | 11Would not his splendor terrify you? Would not the dread of him fall on you? |
| 12Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay. | 12Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay. |
| 13Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will. | 13"Keep silent and let me speak; then let come to me what may. |
| 14Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand? | 14Why do I put myself in jeopardy and take my life in my hands? |
| 15Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. | 15Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face. |
| 16He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him. | 16Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance, for no godless person would dare come before him! |
| 17Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears. | 17Listen carefully to what I say; let my words ring in your ears. |
| 18Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified. | 18Now that I have prepared my case, I know I will be vindicated. |
| 19Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost. | 19Can anyone bring charges against me? If so, I will be silent and die. |
| 20Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee. | 20"Only grant me these two things, God, and then I will not hide from you: |
| 21Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid. | 21Withdraw your hand far from me, and stop frightening me with your terrors. |
| 22Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me. | 22Then summon me and I will answer, or let me speak, and you reply to me. |
| 23How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin. | 23How many wrongs and sins have I committed? Show me my offense and my sin. |
| 24Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy? | 24Why do you hide your face and consider me your enemy? |
| 25Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? | 25Will you torment a windblown leaf? Will you chase after dry chaff? |
| 26For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth. | 26For you write down bitter things against me and make me reap the sins of my youth. |
| 27Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet. | 27You fasten my feet in shackles; you keep close watch on all my paths by putting marks on the soles of my feet. |
| 28And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten. | 28"So man wastes away like something rotten, like a garment eaten by moths. |
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