TZADDI. Righteous {art} thou, O LORD, and upright {are} thy judgments.

Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed {it}, Why hast thou made me thus? {repliest...: or, answerest again, or, disputest with God?}

O Lord, righteousness {belongeth} unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, {that are} near, and {that are} far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee. {belongeth...: or, thou hast}

And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities {deserve}, and hast given us {such} deliverance as this; {hast punished...: Heb. hast withheld beneath our iniquities}

There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.

Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, {that he should do} wickedness; and {from} the Almighty, {that he should commit} iniquity. {men...: Heb. men of heart}

Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that {they are} double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee {less} than thine iniquity {deserveth}.

A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. {smoking: or, dimly burning} {quench: Heb. quench it}

For {he is} not a man, as I {am, that} I should answer him, {and} we should come together in judgment.

O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man {pleadeth} for his neighbour! {neighbour: or, friend}

For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider {it}?

Howbeit thou {art} just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly:

Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?

I know, O LORD, that thy judgments {are} right, and {that} thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. {right: Heb. righteousness}

But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

Behold, {in} this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.

The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor {is} in your houses. {eaten: or, burnt}