13:1

הֶן־כֹּל רָאֲתָה עֵינִי שָׁמְעָה אָזְנִי וַתָּבֶן לָהּ׃

Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, Mine ear hath heard and understood it.

13:2

כְּדַעְתְּכֶם יָדַעְתִּי גַם־אָנִי לֹא־נֹפֵל אָנֹכִי מִכֶּם׃

What ye know, do I know also; I am not inferior unto you.

13:3

אוּלָם אֲנִי אֶל־שַׁדַּי אֲדַבֵּר וְהוֹכֵחַ אֶל־אֵל אֶחְפָּץ׃

Notwithstanding I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to reason with God.

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13:4

וְאוּלָם אַתֶּם טֹפְלֵי־שָׁקֶר רֹפְאֵי אֱלִל כֻּלְּכֶם׃

But ye are plasterers of lies, Ye are all physicians of no value.

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13:5

מִי־יִתֵּן הַחֲרֵשׁ תַּחֲרִישׁוּן וּתְהִי לָכֶם לְחָכְמָה׃

Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! And it would be your wisdom.

13:6

שִׁמְעוּ־נָא תוֹכַחְתִּי וְרִבוֹת שְׂפָתַי הַקְשִׁיבוּ׃

Hear now my reasoning, And hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

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13:7

הַלְאֵל תְּדַבְּרוּ עַוְלָה וְלוֹ תְּדַבְּרוּ רְמִיָּה׃

Will ye speak unrighteously for God, And talk deceitfully for Him?

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13:8

הֲפָנָיו תִּשָּׂאוּן אִם־לָאֵל תְּרִיבוּן׃

Will ye show Him favour? Will ye contend for God?

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13:9

הֲטוֹב כִּי־יַחְקֹר אֶתְכֶם אִם־כְּהָתֵל בֶּאֱנוֹשׁ תְּהָתֵלּוּ בוֹ׃

Would it be good that He should search you out? Or as one mocketh a man, will ye mock Him?

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13:10

הוֹכֵחַ יוֹכִיחַ אֶתְכֶם אִם־בַּסֵּתֶר פָּנִים תִּשָּׂאוּן׃

He will surely reprove you, If ye do secretly show favour.

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13:11

הֲלֹא שְׂאֵתוֹ תְּבַעֵת אֶתְכֶם וּפַחְדּוֹ יִפֹּל עֲלֵיכֶם׃

Shall not His majesty terrify you, And His dread fall upon you?

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13:12

זִכְרֹנֵיכֶם מִשְׁלֵי־אֵפֶר לְגַבֵּי־חֹמֶר גַּבֵּיכֶם׃

Your memorials shall be like unto ashes, Your eminences to eminences of clay.

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13:13

הַחֲרִישׁוּ מִמֶּנִּי וַאֲדַבְּרָה־אָנִי וְיַעֲבֹר עָלַי מָה׃

Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, And let come on me what will.

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13:14

עַל־מָה אֶשָּׂא בְשָׂרִי בְשִׁנָּי וְנַפְשִׁי אָשִׂים בְּכַפִּי׃

Wherefore? I will take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hand.

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13:15

הֵן יִקְטְלֵנִי לא [לוֹ] אֲיַחֵל אַךְ־דְּרָכַי אֶל־פָּנָיו אוֹכִיחַ׃

Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him; But I will argue my ways before Him.

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13:16

גַּם־הוּא־לִי לִישׁוּעָה כִּי־לֹא לְפָנָיו חָנֵף יָבוֹא׃

This also shall be my salvation, That a hypocrite cannot come before Him.

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13:17

שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמוֹעַ מִלָּתִי וְאַחֲוָתִי בְּאָזְנֵיכֶם׃

Hear diligently my speech, And let my declaration be in your ears.

13:18

הִנֵּה־נָא עָרַכְתִּי מִשְׁפָּט יָדַעְתִּי כִּי־אֲנִי אֶצְדָּק׃

Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.

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13:19

מִי־הוּא יָרִיב עִמָּדִי כִּי־עַתָּה אַחֲרִישׁ וְאֶגְוָע׃

Who is he that will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and die.

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13:20

אַךְ־שְׁתַּיִם אַל־תַּעַשׂ עִמָּדִי אָז מִפָּנֶיךָ לֹא אֶסָּתֵר׃

Only do not two things unto me, Then will I not hide myself from Thee:

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13:21

כַּפְּךָ מֵעָלַי הַרְחַק וְאֵמָתְךָ אַל־תְּבַעֲתַנִּי׃

Withdraw Thy hand far from me; And let not Thy terror make me afraid.

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13:22

וּקְרָא וְאָנֹכִי אֶעֱנֶה אוֹ־אֲדַבֵּר וַהֲשִׁיבֵנִי׃

Then call Thou, and I will answer; Or let me speak, and answer Thou me.

13:23

כַּמָּה לִי עֲוֺנוֹת וְחַטָּאוֹת פִּשְׁעִי וְחַטָּאתִי הֹדִיעֵנִי׃

How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin.

13:24

לָמָּה־פָנֶיךָ תַסְתִּיר וְתַחְשְׁבֵנִי לְאוֹיֵב לָךְ׃

Wherefore hidest Thou Thy face, And holdest me for Thine enemy?

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13:25

הֶעָלֶה נִדָּף תַּעֲרוֹץ וְאֶת־קַשׁ יָבֵשׁ תִּרְדֹּף׃

Wilt Thou harass a driven leaf? And wilt Thou pursue the dry stubble?

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13:26

כִּי־תִכְתֹּב עָלַי מְרֹרוֹת וְתוֹרִישֵׁנִי עֲוֺנוֹת נְעוּרָי׃

That Thou shouldest write bitter things against me, And make me to inherit the iniquities of my youth.

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13:27

וְתָשֵׂם בַּסַּד רַגְלַי וְתִשְׁמוֹר כָּל־אָרְחוֹתָי עַל־שָׁרְשֵׁי רַגְלַי תִּתְחַקֶּה׃

Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, And lookest narrowly unto all my paths; Thou drawest Thee a line about the soles of my feet;

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13:28

וְהוּא כְּרָקָב יִבְלֶה כְּבֶגֶד אֲכָלוֹ עָשׁ׃

Though I am like a wine-skin that consumeth, Like a garment that is moth-eaten.

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