Job 13 - Easy To Read Version

¹ \{Job said,\} “I have seen all this before. I have already heard everything you say. I understand all of those things.

² I know as much as you do. I am as smart as you are.

³ But I don’t want to argue with you. I want to speak to God All-Powerful. I want to argue with God about my troubles.

⁴ But you three men try to cover up your ignorance with lies. You are like worthless doctors that can’t heal anyone.

⁵ I wish you would just be quiet. That would be the wisest thing you could do.

⁶ “Now, listen to my argument.\par Listen to what I have to say.\par

⁷ Will you speak lies for God?\par Do you really believe your lies are what\par God wants you to say?\par

⁸ Are you trying to defend God against me?\par You are not being fair—\par You are choosing God's side\par simply because he is God.\par

⁹ If God checked you very closely,\par would he show you are right?\par Do you really think you can fool God\par the same as you fool people?\par

¹⁰ You know God would criticize you\par if you chose a person’s side in court\par simply because he was important.\par

¹¹ God’s majesty (importance) scares you.\par You are afraid of him.\par

¹² Your arguments are worth nothing.\par Your answers are worthless.\par

¹³ “Be quiet and let me talk!\par I accept whatever happens to me.\par

¹⁴ I will put myself in danger,\par and take my life in my own hands.\par

¹⁵ I will continue to trust God\par even if God kills me. {\cf2\super [23]} \par But I will defend myself to his face.\par

¹⁶ And if God lets me live, it will be\par because I was brave enough to speak.\par No evil person would dare\par meet God face to face.\par

¹⁷ Listen carefully to what I say.\par Let me explain.\par

¹⁸ I am ready now to defend myself.\par I will carefully present my arguments.\par I know I will be shown to be right.\par

¹⁹ If any person can prove I am wrong,\par then I will shut up immediately.\par

²⁰ “God, just give me two things,\par and then I won’t hide from you:\par

²¹ Stop punishing me,\par and stop scaring me with your terrors.\par

²² Then call to me and I will answer you.\par Or let me speak, and you answer me.\par

²³ How many sins have I done?\par What have I done wrong?\par Show me my sins and my wrongs.\par

²⁴ God, why do you avoid me,\par and treat me like your enemy?\par

²⁵ Are you trying to scare me?\par I am only a leaf blowing in the wind.\par You are attacking a little piece of straw!\par

²⁶ God, you say bitter things against me.\par Are you making me suffer\par for the sins I did when I was young.\par

²⁷ You have put chains on my feet.\par You watch every step I take.\par You watch every move I make.\par

²⁸ So I am becoming weaker and weaker\par like a piece of wood rotting away,\par like a piece of cloth eaten by moths.”\par