1 Truly, my eye has seen all this, word of it has come to my ear, and I have knowledge of it.

1 הֶן־כֹּ֖ל רָאֲתָ֣ה עֵינִ֑י שָֽׁמְעָ֥ה אָ֝זְנִ֗י וַתָּ֥בֶן לָֽהּ׃

2 The same things are in my mind as in yours; I am equal to you.

2 כְּֽ֭דַעְתְּכֶם יָדַ֣עְתִּי גַם־אָ֑נִי לֹא־נֹפֵ֖ל אָנֹכִ֣י מִכֶּֽם׃

3 But I would have talk with the Ruler of all, and my desire is to have an argument with God.

3 אוּלָ֗ם אֲ֭נִי אֶל־שַׁדַּ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר וְהֹוכֵ֖חַ אֶל־אֵ֣ל אֶחְפָּֽץ׃

4 But you put a false face on things; all your attempts to put things right are of no value.

4 וְֽאוּלָ֗ם אַתֶּ֥ם טֹֽפְלֵי־שָׁ֑קֶר רֹפְאֵ֖י אֱלִ֣ל כֻּלְּכֶֽם׃

5 If only you would keep quiet, it would be a sign of wisdom!

5 מִֽי־יִ֭תֵּן הַחֲרֵ֣שׁ תַּחֲרִישׁ֑וּן וּתְהִ֖י לָכֶ֣ם לְחָכְמָֽה׃

6 Give ear to the argument of my mouth, and take note of the words of my lips.

6 שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֥א תֹוכַחְתִּ֑י וְרִבֹ֖ות שְׂפָתַ֣י הַקְשִֽׁיבוּ׃

7 Will you say in God's name what is not right, and put false words into his mouth?

7 הַ֭לְאֵל תְּדַבְּר֣וּ עַוְלָ֑ה וְ֝לֹ֗ו תְּֽדַבְּר֥וּ רְמִיָּֽה׃

8 Will you have respect for God's person in this cause, and put yourselves forward as his supporters?

8 הֲפָנָ֥יו תִּשָּׂא֑וּן אִם־לָאֵ֥ל תְּרִיבֽוּן׃

9 Will it be good for you to be searched out by him, or have you the thought that he may be guided into error like a man?

9 הֲ֭טֹוב כִּֽי־יַחְקֹ֣ר אֶתְכֶ֑ם אִם־כְּהָתֵ֥ל בֶּ֝אֱנֹ֗ושׁ תְּהָתֵ֥לּוּ בֹֽו׃

10 He will certainly put you right, if you have respect for persons in secret.

10 הֹוכֵ֣חַ יֹוכִ֣יחַ אֶתְכֶ֑ם אִם־בַּ֝סֵּ֗תֶר פָּנִ֥ים תִּשָּׂאֽוּן׃

11 Will not his glory put you in fear, so that your hearts will be overcome before him?

11 הֲלֹ֣א אֵתֹו תְּבַעֵ֣ת אֶתְכֶ֑ם וּ֝פַחְדֹּ֗ו יִפֹּ֥ל עֲלֵיכֶֽם׃

12 Your wise sayings are only dust, and your strong places are only earth.

12 זִֽ֭כְרֹנֵיכֶם מִשְׁלֵי־אֵ֑פֶר לְגַבֵּי־חֹ֝֗מֶר גַּבֵּיכֶֽם׃

13 Keep quiet, and let me say what is in my mind, whatever may come to me.

13 הַחֲרִ֣ישׁוּ מִ֭מֶּנִּי וַאֲדַבְּרָה־אָ֑נִי וְיַעֲבֹ֖ר עָלַ֣י מָֽה׃

14 I will take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand.

14 עַל־מָ֤ה׀ אֶשָּׂ֣א בְשָׂרִ֣י בְשִׁנָּ֑י וְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י אָשִׂ֥ים בְּכַפִּֽי׃

15 Truly, he will put an end to me; I have no hope; but I will not give way in argument before him;

15 הֵ֣ן יִ֭קְטְלֵנִי לֹא לֹ֣ו אֲיַחֵ֑ל אַךְ־דְּ֝רָכַ֗י אֶל־פָּנָ֥יו אֹוכִֽיחַ׃

16 And that will be my salvation, for an evil-doer would not come before him,

16 גַּם־הוּא־לִ֥י לִֽישׁוּעָ֑ה כִּי־לֹ֥א לְ֝פָנָ֗יו חָנֵ֥ף יָבֹֽוא׃

17 Give ear with care to my words, and keep what I say in your minds.

17 שִׁמְע֣וּ מֹועַ מִלָּתִ֑י וְ֝אַֽחֲוָתִ֗י בְּאָזְנֵיכֶֽם׃

18 See now, I have put my cause in order, and I am certain that I will be seen to be right.

18 הִנֵּה־נָ֭א עָרַ֣כְתִּי מִשְׁפָּ֑ט יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י אֶצְדָּֽק׃

19 Is any one able to take up the argument against me? If so, I would keep quiet and give up my breath.

19 מִי־ה֭וּא יָרִ֣יב עִמָּדִ֑י כִּֽי־עַתָּ֖ה אַחֲרִ֣ישׁ וְאֶגְוָֽע׃

20 Only two things do not do to me, then I will come before your face:

20 אַךשְְ֭־תַּיִם אַל־תַּ֣עַשׂ עִמָּדִ֑י אָ֥ז מִ֝פָּנֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א אֶסָּתֵֽר׃

21 Take your hand far away from me; and let me not be overcome by fear of you.

21 כַּ֭פְּךָ מֵעָלַ֣י הַרְחַ֑ק וְ֝אֵ֥מָתְךָ֗³ אַֽל־תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃

22 Then at the sound of your voice I will give answer; or let me put forward my cause for you to give me an answer.

22 וּ֭קְרָא וְאָנֹכִ֣י אֶֽעֱנֶ֑ה אֹֽו־אֲ֝דַבֵּ֗ר וַהֲשִׁיבֵֽנִי׃

23 What is the number of my evil-doings and my sins? give me knowledge of them.

23 כַּמָּ֣ה לִ֭י עֲוֹנֹ֣ות וְחַטָּאֹ֑ות פִּֽשְׁעִ֥י וְ֝חַטָּאתִ֗י הֹדִיעֵֽנִי³׃

24 Why is your face veiled from me, as if I was numbered among your haters?

24 לָֽמָּה־פָנֶ֥יךָ תַסְתִּ֑יר וְתַחְשְׁבֵ֖נִי לְאֹויֵ֣ב לָֽךְ׃

25 Will you be hard on a leaf in flight before the wind? will you make a dry stem go more quickly on its way?

25 הֶעָלֶ֣ה נִדָּ֣ף תַּעֲרֹ֑וץ וְאֶת־קַ֖שׁ יָבֵ֣שׁ תִּרְדֹּֽף׃

26 For you put bitter things on record against me, and send punishment on me for the sins of my early years;

26 כִּֽי־תִכְתֹּ֣ב עָלַ֣י מְרֹרֹ֑ות וְ֝תֹורִישֵׁ֗נִי עֲוֹנֹ֥ות נְעוּרָֽי׃

27 And you put chains on my feet, watching all my ways, and making a limit for my steps;

27 וְתָ֘שֵׂ֤ם בַּסַּ֨ד׀ רַגְלַ֗י וְתִשְׁמֹ֥ור כָּל־אָרְחֹותָ֑י עַל־שָׁרְשֵׁ֥י רַ֝גְלַ֗י תִּתְחַקֶּֽה׃

28 Though a man comes to nothing like a bit of dead wood, or like a robe which has become food for the worm.

28 וְ֭הוּא כְּרָקָ֣ב יִבְלֶ֑ה כְּ֝בֶ֗גֶד אֲכָ֣לֹו עָֽשׁ׃