Lo, all this haue I seene with mine eye, heard with mine eare, and vnderstande it.

What ye knowe, that same do I know also, neither am I inferior vnto you.

Neuerthelesse, I talke with the almightie, and my desire is to commune with God.

As for you, ye are workmaisters of lyes, and vnprofitable phisitians altogether.

Woulde God ye kept your tongue, for then might ye be taken for wise men.

Now heare my reasoning, and ponder the argument of my lippes.

Wyll you speake wickedlie for gods defence and talke deceitfully for his cause?

Wyll ye accept the person of him? or wyll ye contende for God?

Shall that helpe you when he calleth you to reckening? For as one man mocketh an other, so do ye mocke him.

He shall punishe you, and reproue you, if ye do secretly accept any person.

Shall not his excellencie make you afrayde? Shall not his terrible feare fall vpon you?

Your remembraunce is lyke vnto a sparke, and your bodies lyke the claye.

Holde your tongues for my sake, that I also may speake, and my sorowe shalbe the lesse.

Wherefore do I beare my fleshe in my teeth, and put my soule in myne handes?

Lo, though he slay me, yet wyl I trust in him: but I wyll reproue myne owne wayes in his sight.

He shalbe my saluation: for there may no hypocrite come before him.

Heare diligently my wordes, and ponder my sayinges with your eares.

Beholde, now haue I prepared my iudgement, and knowe that I shalbe founde righteous.

What is he that wyll go to lawe with me? if I now holde my tongue I dye.

Neuerthelesse, graunt me two thinges, and then wyll I not hide my selfe from thee:

Withdrawe thyne hande from me, and let not the fearefull dreade of thee make me afrayde.

Then call, and I wyll aunswere: or let me speake, and geue me then an aunswere.

How many are my misdeedes and sinnes? let me knowe my transgressions and offences.

Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thyne enemie?

Wylt thou breake a leafe driuen to and fro, and wilt thou pursue the drye stubble?

For thou layest sharply to my charge, and punishest me for the sinnes of my youth.

Thou puttest my feete also in the stockes, and lokest narowly vnto all my pathes, and makest the print thereof in the heeles of my feete:

And I as a rotten thing do consume away, as a garment that is moth eaten.