Job 13

1 ‘I have seen with my own eyes all the things that you have told me.

I have heard everything that you have said. And I have understood all of it.

2 I know as much as you do.

You are no better than I am.

3 But I want to speak to the Almighty. I want to tell him how I feel.

And I want him to explain the things that he has done to me.

4 But you tell me things that are not true.

You are like doctors who cannot make sick people better.

5 It would be better if you said nothing.

That would be a wise thing to do.

6 Listen now to me when I speak to you.

Listen to the things that I say.

7 You should not speak on behalf of God!

You are saying things on his behalf; but they are not true.

8 You should be fair when you speak on his behalf.

But I cannot believe that you are really trying to explain his thoughts to me.

9 God may check what you have been doing.

Other people may not understand.

But he will see the wrong things that you have done.

10 It may be a secret that you have not been fair.

Even so, God will still punish you.

11 I am sure that his power will frighten you.

I am sure that you will be afraid of him.

12 The things that you say are worth no more than ashes.

You are not strong enough to save yourself.

13 So be quiet and let me speak.

Then I will not cry about the things that happen to me.

14 If anything happens to me, it will be my mistake.

But I do want to say what I really think.

15 Even if God kills me, I will still believe him.

But I will explain to him the reason why he should not kill me.

16 No bad man would be brave enough to speak with God.

So if I speak to him, it will save me.

17 Listen well when I speak.

Do not forget the things that I say to you.

18 Now I have prepared the things that I want to say.

I have not done anything that was wrong. So I know that he will excuse me.

19 Nobody can tell me any wrong thing that I have done.

If you can do that, I will be quiet. And then I will die.

20 God, I do not want to hide myself from you any more.

So I want to ask you to do two things.

21 Stop causing bad things to happen to me.

And stop making me afraid of you.

22 Call to me and I will answer you.

Or let me speak, and then reply to me.

23 Tell me how many wrong things I have done.

Show me one wrong thing that I have done.

24 I would like to know why you hide yourself from me.

You seem to think that I am your enemy. I would like to know why you think that.

25 I am as weak as a leaf that the wind blows along the road.

I am only as strong as dry grass.

So I do not understand why you want to frighten me.

26 You write down bad things about me.

I may have done wrong things when I was young. And you remember them.

27 You fasten my feet with metal ties.

You watch me to see where I am going.

You even put marks on my feet so that you can follow me.

28 So my life is worth nothing.

I am like an old coat that the insects have eaten.’