¹ I have seen all this with my own eyes, heard with my own ears and understood.

² Whatever you know, I know too; I am in no way inferior to you.

³ But my words are intended for Shaddai; I mean to remonstrate with God.

⁴ As for you, you are only charlatans, all worthless as doctors!

⁵ Will no one teach you to be quiet -- the only wisdom that becomes you!

⁶ Kindly listen to my accusation and give your attention to the way I shall plead.

⁷ Do you mean to defend God by prevarication and by dishonest argument,

⁸ and, taking his side like this, appoint yourselves as his advocates?

⁹ How would you fare, if he were to scrutinise you? Can he be duped as mortals are duped?

¹⁰ He would inflict a harsh rebuke on you for your covert partiality.

¹¹ Does his majesty not affright you? Does his terror not overcome you?

¹² Your received ideas are maxims of ash, your retorts, retorts of clay.

¹³ Be quiet! Kindly let me do the talking, happen to me what may.

¹⁴ I am putting my flesh between my teeth, I am taking my life in my hands;

¹⁵ let him kill me if he will; I have no other hope than to justify my conduct in his eyes.

¹⁶ And this is what will save me, for the wicked would not dare to appear before him.

¹⁷ Listen carefully to my words, and pay attention to what I am going to say.

¹⁸ You see, I shall proceed by form of law, knowing that I am upright.

¹⁹ Who wants to contest my case? In advance, I agree to be silenced and to die!

²⁰ Only grant me two concessions, and then I shall not hide away from your face:

²¹ remove your hand, which lies so heavy on me, no longer make me cower from your terror.

²² Then call me forward and I shall answer, or rather, I shall speak and you will answer.

²³ How many faults and crimes have I committed? Tell me what my misdeed has been, what my sin?

²⁴ Why do you hide your face and look on me as your enemy?

²⁵ Do you want to intimidate a wind-blown leaf, do you want to pursue a dry straw?

²⁶ You who lay bitter allegations against me and tax me with the faults of my youth

²⁷ and have put my feet in the stocks; you examine my every step and measure my footprints one by one!

²⁸ For his part, he crumbles away like rotten wood, or like a moth-eaten garment,