lo mine eye hath seen all this mine ear hath heard and understood
what ye know the same do i know also i am not inferior
surely i would speak to the almighty and i desire to reason with god
but ye are forgers of lies ye are all physicians of no value
o that ye would altogether hold your peace and it should be your wisdom
hear now my reasoning and hearken to the pleadings of my lips
will ye speak wickedly for god and talk deceitfully
will ye accept his person will ye contend for god
is it good that he should search you out or as one man mocketh another do ye so mock
he will surely reprove you if ye do secretly accept persons
shall not his excellency make you afraid and his dread fall
your remembrances are like unto ashes your bodies to bodies of clay
hold your peace let me alone that i may speak and let come
wherefore do i take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in mine hand
though he slay me yet will i trust in him but i will maintain mine own ways before
he also shall be my salvation for an hypocrite shall not come before
hear diligently my speech and my declaration with your ears
behold now i have ordered my cause i know that i shall be justified
who is he that will plead with me for now if i hold my tongue i shall give up the ghost
only do not two things unto me then will i not hide myself from thee
withdraw thine hand far from me and let not thy dread make me afraid
then call thou and i will answer or let me speak and answer
how many are mine iniquities and sins make me to know my transgression and my sin
wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemy
wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble
for thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth
thou puttest my feet also in the stocks and lookest narrowly unto all my paths thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet
and he as a rotten thing consumeth as a garment that is moth eaten