| New King James Version | International Standard Version |
| 1“Behold, my eye has seen all this, My ear has heard and understood it. | 1"Look, I've seen everything; I've listened carefully and I understand. |
| 2What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. | 2What you know, I know, too; I'm not inferior to you. |
| 3But I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to reason with God. | 3But I want to talk to the Almighty; and I'm determined to argue my case before God." |
| 4But you forgers of lies, You are all worthless physicians. | 4"But as for you, you whitewash with lies; all of you are worthless quacks. |
| 5Oh, that you would be silent, And it would be your wisdom! | 5I wish you'd all just shut up. Then at least you would appear to be wise. |
| 6Now hear my reasoning, And heed the pleadings of my lips. | 6"Now listen to my dispute! Pay attention to my arguments. |
| 7Will you speak wickedly for God, And talk deceitfully for Him? | 7Why do you speak falsely on God's behalf and speak deceitfully about him? |
| 8Will you show partiality for Him? Will you contend for God? | 8Will you show partiality to him? Will you plead God's case? |
| 9Will it be well when He searches you out? Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man? | 9Will things go well for you under his cross-examination? Can you lie to him, as you would to a human being? |
| 10He will surely rebuke you If you secretly show partiality. | 10"He will be sure to rebuke you, if you show partiality in secret. |
| 11Will not His excellence make you afraid, And the dread of Him fall upon you? | 11His splendor will petrify you with terror, paralyzing you with fear, won't it? |
| 12Your platitudes are proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay. | 12Your maxims are just worthless proverbs; your defensive arguments are made of clay." |
| 13“Hold your peace with me, and let me speak, Then let come on me what may! | 13"Don't talk to me! It's my turn to speak; then whatever happens, happens. |
| 14Why do I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hands? | 14Why shouldn't I bite my flesh or take my life in my hands? |
| 15Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. | 15Even though he kills me, I'll continue to hope in him. At least I'll be able to argue my case to his face! |
| 16He also shall be my salvation, For a hypocrite could not come before Him. | 16I have this as my salvation: the godless person won't be appearing before him. |
| 17Listen carefully to my speech, And to my declaration with your ears. | 17Pay attention to what I have to say and listen to my testimony with your own ears." |
| 18See now, I have prepared my case, I know that I shall be vindicated. | 18"Look, now! I've prepared my case for court. I know that I'm going to win. |
| 19Who is he who will contend with me? If now I hold my tongue, I perish. | 19Who can oppose me? If they do, I'll be silent and die. |
| 20“Only two things do not do to me, Then I will not hide myself from You: | 20Grant me only two things as you deal with me; then I won't hide from you. |
| 21Withdraw Your hand far from me, And let not the dread of You make me afraid. | 21Withdraw your hand far from me and keep me from being petrified with terror. |
| 22Then call, and I will answer; Or let me speak, then You respond to me. | 22Then call and I'll answer, or let me speak and then you reply to me!" |
| 23How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin. | 23"How many of my iniquities and sins have you counted? Show me my transgression and sin. |
| 24Why do You hide Your face, And regard me as Your enemy? | 24Why do you hide your face and regard me as your enemy? |
| 25Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro? And will You pursue dry stubble? | 25Are you a god who would make a leaf tremble or who would prosecute a dry straw? |
| 26For You write bitter things against me, And make me inherit the iniquities of my youth. | 26You've accused me of bitter things; you've caused me to reap the sins of my youth. |
| 27You put my feet in the stocks, And watch closely all my paths. You set a limit for the soles of my feet. | 27You've locked my feet in stocks; you watch all my steps; You've limited where I can walk. |
| 28“Man decays like a rotten thing, Like a garment that is moth-eaten. | 28So I'm a man who wears out like something rotten, like a garment that has become moth-eaten." |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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