| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1“Behold, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it. | 1"Indeed, my eyes have seen all this, my ears have heard and understood it. |
| 2What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. | 2What you know, I know also; I am not inferior to you! |
| 3But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God. | 3But I wish to speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God. |
| 4As for you, you whitewash with lies; worthless physicians are you all. | 4But you, however, are inventors of lies; all of you are worthless physicians! |
| 5Oh that you would keep silent, and it would be your wisdom! | 5If only you would keep completely silent! For you, that would be wisdom. |
| 6Hear now my argument and listen to the pleadings of my lips. | 6"Listen now to my argument, and be attentive to my lips' contentions. |
| 7Will you speak falsely for God and speak deceitfully for him? | 7Will you speak wickedly on God's behalf? Will you speak deceitfully for him? |
| 8Will you show partiality toward him? Will you plead the case for God? | 8Will you show him partiality? Will you argue the case for God? |
| 9Will it be well with you when he searches you out? Or can you deceive him, as one deceives a man? | 9Would it turn out well if he would examine you? Or as one deceives a man would you deceive him? |
| 10He will surely rebuke you if in secret you show partiality. | 10He would certainly rebuke you if you secretly showed partiality! |
| 11Will not his majesty terrify you, and the dread of him fall upon you? | 11Would not his splendor terrify you and the fear he inspires fall on you? |
| 12Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay. | 12Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay. |
| 13“Let me have silence, and I will speak, and let come on me what may. | 13"Refrain from talking with me so that I may speak; then let come to me what may. |
| 14Why should I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in my hand? | 14Why do I put myself in peril, and take my life in my hands? |
| 15Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face. | 15Even if he slays me, I will hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face! |
| 16This will be my salvation, that the godless shall not come before him. | 16Moreover, this will become my deliverance, for no godless person would come before him. |
| 17Keep listening to my words, and let my declaration be in your ears. | 17Listen carefully to my words; let your ears be attentive to my explanation. |
| 18Behold, I have prepared my case; I know that I shall be in the right. | 18See now, I have prepared my case; I know that I am right. |
| 19Who is there who will contend with me? For then I would be silent and die. | 19Who will contend with me? If anyone can, I will be silent and die. |
| 20Only grant me two things, then I will not hide myself from your face: | 20Only in two things spare me, O God, and then I will not hide from your face: |
| 21withdraw your hand far from me, and let not dread of you terrify me. | 21Remove your hand far from me and stop making me afraid with your terror. |
| 22Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and you reply to me. | 22Then call, and I will answer, or I will speak, and you respond to me. |
| 23How many are my iniquities and my sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin. | 23How many are my iniquities and sins? Show me my transgression and my sin. |
| 24Why do you hide your face and count me as your enemy? | 24Why do you hide your face and regard me as your enemy? |
| 25Will you frighten a driven leaf and pursue dry chaff? | 25Do you wish to torment a windblown leaf and chase after dry chaff? |
| 26For you write bitter things against me and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth. | 26For you write down bitter things against me and cause me to inherit the sins of my youth. |
| 27You put my feet in the stocks and watch all my paths; you set a limit for the soles of my feet. | 27And you put my feet in the stocks and you watch all my movements; you put marks on the soles of my feet. |
| 28Man wastes away like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten. | 28So I waste away like something rotten, like a garment eaten by moths. |
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