1-2 Everything you say, I have heard before.
I understand it all; I know as much as you do.
I'm not your inferior.
3 But my dispute is with God, not you;
I want to argue my case with him.
4 You cover up your ignorance with lies;
you are like doctors who can't heal anyone.
5 Say nothing, and someone may think you are wise!
6 Listen while I state my case.
7 Why are you lying?
Do you think your lies will benefit God?
8 Are you trying to defend him?
Are you going to argue his case in court?
9 If God looks at you closely, will he find anything good?
Do you think you can fool God the way you fool others?
10 Even though your prejudice is hidden,
he will reprimand you,
11 and his power will fill you with terror.
12 Your proverbs are as useless as ashes;
your arguments are as weak as clay.
13 Be quiet and give me a chance to speak,
and let the results be what they will.
14 I am ready to risk my life.
15 I've lost all hope, so what if God kills me?
I am going to state my case to him.
16 It may even be that my boldness will save me,
since no wicked person would dare to face God.
17 Now listen to my words of explanation.
18 I am ready to state my case,
because I know I am in the right.
19 Are you coming to accuse me, God?
If you do, I am ready to be silent and die.
20 Let me ask for two things; agree to them,
and I will not try to hide from you:
21 stop punishing me, and don't crush me with terror.
22 Speak first, O God, and I will answer.
Or let me speak, and you answer me.
23 What are my sins? What wrongs have I done?
What crimes am I charged with?
24 Why do you avoid me?
Why do you treat me like an enemy?
25 Are you trying to frighten me? I'm nothing but a leaf;
you are attacking a piece of dry straw.
26 You bring bitter charges against me,
even for what I did when I was young.
27 You bind chains on my feet;
you watch every step I take,
and even examine my footprints.
28 As a result, I crumble like rotten wood,
like a moth-eaten coat.
1 “Amase ta ge nēn hoana ti mûra ǀkha ge mû
tsî ti ǂgaera ǀkha ǁnâu tsî ge ǁnâuǃā.
2 Sago xūn hoana ta tita tsîna a ǂan;
sago ǃoagu ta ǂkhariǃgôasen tide.
3 Xawe tita ge Hoaǀgaixab ǀkha ra ǃhoa ǂgao;
ti ǁhōba ta ge Elob ǀkha ra ǂnoagu ǂgao.
4 Xawe sago xasa, ǃurise ǂkhausa ǂhumi-aogo;
sago hoago ge a harebeoǃnâ soǀôadī-ao!
5 Ae, sago amǃnâde go ga ǂganam hâ,
o i ge sago gā-aisib ase ga ī hâ!
6 “Nēsi, ti ǂnoaguǀgauba ǁnâu,
î ti amǁgaukha di ǀkhomabasende ǃgâ.
7 Tare-i ǃaroma go Elob ǀons ǃnâ ǂhanuoǃnâse ra ǃhoa,
tsî ǁîb ǃaroma ǂhumiba ra ǃhoa?
8 ǁÎba go ra ǀkhāǁhûiba ǂgao?
Elob di ǁhōba go ra ǂnoaǁkhaeba ǂgao?
9 ǃGâi i kha nî, Elob ga sago ûiba ôaǃnâo?
Khoena go ra ǀhôagaoǃnâ khami
ǁîba ǀhôagaoǃnâ ǁkhā go nî?
10 ǀHôagaosib ǃnâ go ga ǀkhāǁhûi,
ob ge ǁîba amase nî ǁkhara go.
11 ǁÎb kai ǁkhāsiba kha ǃaoǃao go tide
tsî ǁîba ǃaosa kha ǁnāǂam go tide?
12 Sago ǂâidi ge tsaotsao hâ ǂkhoamîde,
sago ǂnoaǁkhaebasendi ge a ǂgoa.
13 Nēsisa go aibe ǃnō, aitsama ta nî ǃhoa xuige,
tare-i ǀgui-i ga hāǂam te xawes tsîna.
14 “Tita ge ti sorosa ti ǁgûn ǀkha nî nâ,
tsî ti ûiba ti ǃommi ǃnâ nî ū.
15 Elob ge nî ǃgam te,
tsî ta ǃâubasen-e ūhâ tama;
xawe ta ge ti ǁhōba ǁîb aiǃâ nî ǁgui.
16 Amase, nēs ge ti ores ase nî;
eloxoresa-i xare-i ǁîb aiǃâ a hā ǁoa xui-ao.
17 Ti mîde ǂōrisase ǃgâ,
îs ti mîǃgāǃgāsa sago ǂgaedi ǃnâ hâ.
18 Mû, tita ge ti ǁhōba ǂhomisase ūhâ;
ǂhanu ta a ǃkhaisa ta ge a ǂan.
19 “Tita ǀkha nî ǂnoagu khoe-e hâ i a?
O ta ge ǃnō tsî ga ǁō hâ.
20 ǀGam xūn ǀguina ta ge satsa xu ra ǂgan,
o ta ge sa aisa xu gaugausen tide.
21 Sa ǃomma tita xu ǃnūse ūhâ re,
î tā sa ǃaorosasib ǀkha ǁnāǂam te.
22 Tita ǂgai, o ta ge nî ǃeream;
tamas ka io a ta ǃhoa, îts satsa ǃeream te.
23 Mâtikō dīsādi tsî ǁoren tsîna ta ge dī?
Ti ǃûǂamdi tsî ǁoren tsîna ǂanǂan te re.
24 “Tare-i ǃaromats sa aisa tita xu gaugau
tsî ra sa khākhoedī te?
25 ǂOab xa ra ǃgommahe ǂnare-e ǃaoǃao
tsîts ǂnâsa ǀhōba ra ǃgôaǃgon?
26 “Sats ra ti ǃoagu tsū xūna xoa
tsî ti ǂkhamsis di ǁoren ǃaroma ǁkhara te xui-ao.
27 Ti ǂairats ge ǃgom ǂaiǃnaodi ǃnâ ra ǃgaemâi
tsî ti ǃgûdaogu hoaga ra ǃkhē;
ti ǂaira ra dā ǃkhais hoasats ge ra ǁgauǂui.
28 ǁNāti i ge khoe-e gunu hâ ǀae-i khami ra toa,
ǁgurigu xa ǂûhe hâ sara-i khami.
