13 Look here, my eyes have seen all that,

≈my ears have heard it and understood.

2 I also know everything that you know,

≈I’m not way behind you.

3 But I would like to talk to the provider,

≈and I desire to plead with God.

4 But you’re all smearers of lies,

≈all of you are worthless healers.

5 If only you all would remain silent,

then you all might be considered wise.

6 Please listen to my argument,

≈and pay attention to the pleading of my lips.

7 Will you all speak faithlessly on God’s behalf,

≈and will you talk deceitfully for him?

8 Will you show partiality to him,

or argue the case for God?

9 Is it good that he’ll examine you all,

or will you deceive him like deceiving a person?

10 He would certainly rebuke you all,

if you were secretly showing partiality.

11 Shouldn’t his majesty make you all afraid,

≈and his dread fall on you all?

12 Your traditional sayings are proverbs of ashes.

≈Your defenses might as well be made of clay.

13 Be silent in my presence and let me speak,

and let come to me what may.

14 Why should I bite my flesh with my own teeth,

≈and take my life in my own hands?

15 Even if he kills me, my hope will still be in him.

I will certainly defend my behaviour to him in person.

16 Even that would result in my salvation.

A godless person wouldn’t enter his presence.

17 Listen carefully to my words,

≈and may my declaration be in the ears of you all.

18 I’ve now arranged my case.

I know that I’m in the right.

19 Who will conduct my case?

I’ll keep silent now and die.

20 Just don’t do these two things to me,

then I won’t hide myself from your presence:

21 Don’t take your hand far away from me,

and don’t terrify me with your dread.

22 Then call me and I’ll answer,

or let me speak and answer me.

23 How many errors and sins do I have?

Let me know how I disobeyed and sinned.

24 Why are you keeping away from me,

and treating me like an enemy?

25 Would you terrify a leaf blown by the wind?

≈Would you chase a dry stalk to punish it?

26 You write bitter things against me,

and even recall the errors of my youth.

27 You lock my feet in stocks.[ref]

You watch all my paths and mark the soles of my feet.

28 He decays like something rotten.

≈He’s like a garment that’s eaten by moths.

14 Humans, born from women,

live relatively short lives with lots of turmoil.

2 People appear and then wither, just like the flowers.

≈They don’t stay around, but rush away like shadows.

3 Do you watch over even creatures like this?

Do you bring me in to be judged?

4 Who can make something innocent out of something impure?

No one.

5 Since a person’s lifespan is already determined,

≈then you already know the number of months.

You’ve set the limit and we won’t live past that.

6 Stop watching us.

Give us relief so we can take some pleasure in our daily work.

7 There’s even hope for a tree that gets cut down.

It will sprout again and its new shoots won’t fail.

8 Even when its roots in the ground get old,

≈and its base is rotting in the soil,

9 when it detects water it’ll send up branches like a young plant.

10 But a person dies and is laid out—

≈a person breathes their last and now where are they?

11 The water disappears from a lake,

≈and the river level goes down then dries up.

12 So too people lie down and don’t get up again.

≈They won’t wake up until the sky no longer exists.

≈For now they can’t be roused out of their sleep.

13 If only you’d allow me to be hidden in the grave,

that you’d conceal me until your anger is passed.

but set a limit and then remember me.

14 If a person dies, will they ever live again.

I’ll keep doing my work here until I’m released from it.

15 You’ll call me and I’ll answer you.

You’ll desire the creature you’ve made.

16 Now you’ll count my steps.

You won’t keep watch on my sins.

17 My disobedience would be sealed up in a bag,

≈and you’d plaster over my wickedness.

18 But mountains fall and crumble,

≈and rocks move out of their places.

19 Flowing water wears down stones,

≈and its torrents wash away the soil.

You destroy humankind’s hope.

20 You’re forever overpowering us and we depart.

You are changing the expression on our faces and sending us away.

21 If our children achieved some honour, we wouldn’t even know it.

Or if they’re put to shame, we wouldn’t be there to see it.

22 Only our own bodies feel the pain.

≈Only our inner selves mourn.