1 T hen Job answered and said,

¶ Then Job answered and said,

2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

Many times I have heard such things; miserable comforters are ye all.

3 S hall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

Shall vain words have an end? Or what is it that emboldens thee to answer?

4 I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.

I also could speak as ye do. I wish your soul were in my soul’s stead, that I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you.

5 B ut I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would assuage the pain.

6 T hough I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?

¶ Though if I speak, my pain does not cease; and if I forbear to speak, it does not depart from me.

7 B ut now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.

But now he has made me weary; thou hast made desolate all my company.

8 A nd thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.

And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me bears witness to my face.

9 H e teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

His wrath has torn me and has been against me; he gnashed upon me with his teeth; my enemy sharpened his eyes upon me.

10 T hey have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

They have opened their mouth against me; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

11 G od hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

God has delivered me unto the liar, and in the hands of the wicked he has caused me to tremble.

12 I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

I was prosperous, but he has broken me asunder; he has taken me by my neck and shaken me to pieces and set me up for his mark.

13 H is archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.

His archers compassed me round about; he cleaved my kidneys asunder and did not spare; he poured out my gall upon the ground.

14 H e breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.

He broke me with breach upon breach; he ran upon me like a giant.

15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.

I have sewn sackcloth upon my skin and put dust over my head.

16 M y face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death,

17 n ot for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.

¶ even though there is no injustice in my hands, and my prayer has been pure.

18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

O earth, do not cover my blood; and let there be no place where my cry is hidden.

19 A lso now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.

Certainly my witness is even now in the heavens, and my record is on high.

20 M y friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

Those who dispute with me are my friends, but my eyes shall pour out tears unto God.

21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

O that a man might dispute with God, as he can with his neighbour!

22 W hen a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

When the counted years are come, then I shall go the way from which I shall not return.