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Lo, all--hath mine eye seen, Heard hath mine ear, and it attendeth to it.
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According to your knowledge I have known--also I. I am not fallen more than you.
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Yet I for the Mighty One do speak, And to argue for God I delight.
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And yet, ye are forgers of falsehood, Physicians of nought--all of you,
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O that ye would keep perfectly silent, And it would be to you for wisdom.
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Hear, I pray you, my argument, And to the pleadings of my lips attend,
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For God do ye speak perverseness? And for Him do ye speak deceit?
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His face do ye accept, if for God ye strive?
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Is it good that He doth search you, If, as one mocketh at a man, ye mock at Him?
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He doth surely reprove you, if in secret ye accept faces.
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Doth not His excellency terrify you? And His dread fall upon you?
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Your remembrances are similes of ashes, For high places of clay your heights.
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Keep silent from me, and I speak, And pass over me doth what?
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Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth? And my soul put in my hand?
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Lo, He doth slay me--I wait not! Only, my ways unto His face I argue.
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Also--He is to me for salvation, For the profane cometh not before Him.
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Hear ye diligently my word, And my declaration with your ears.
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Lo, I pray you, I have set in order the cause, I have known that I am righteous.
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Who is he that doth strive with me? For now I keep silent and gasp.
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Only two things, O God, do with me: Then from Thy face I am not hidden.
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Thy hand put far off from me, And Thy terror let not terrify me.
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And call Thou, and I--I answer, Or--I speak, and answer Thou me.
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How many iniquities and sins have I? My transgression and my sin let me know.
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Why dost Thou hide Thy face? And reckonest me for an enemy to Thee?
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A leaf driven away dost Thou terrify? And the dry stubble dost Thou pursue?
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For Thou writest against me bitter things, And causest me to possess iniquities of my youth:
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And puttest in the stocks my feet, And observest all my paths, On the roots of my feet Thou settest a print,
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And he, as a rotten thing, weareth away, As a garment hath a moth consumed him.