1 T hen Job answered,

¶ Then Job answered and said,

2 I have heard many such things; wearisome and miserable comforters are you all!

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

3 W ill your futile words of wind have no end? Or what makes you so bold to answer ?

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

4 I also could speak as you do, if you were in my stead; I could join words together against you and shake my 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 I would strengthen and encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would soothe your suffering.

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

6 I f I speak, my sorrow is not soothed or lessened; and if I refrain, in what way 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 has taken away my strength. You have made desolate all my family and associates.

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

8 Y ou have laid firm hold on me and have shriveled me up, which is a witness against me; and my leanness are further evidence; testify 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 ' > My adversary Satan] has torn in his wrath and hated and persecuted me; he has gnashed upon me with his teeth; my adversary sharpens his eyes against 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 h ave gaped at me with their mouths; they have struck me upon the cheek insolently; they massed themselves together and conspired unanimously 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 has delivered me to the ungodly (to the evil one) and cast me into the hands of the wicked (Satan’s host).

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

12 I was living at ease, but crushed me and broke me apart; yes, he seized me by the neck and dashed me in pieces; then he set me up for his target.

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 a rrows whiz around me. He slashes open my vitals and does not spare; he pours out my gall on 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 s tabs me, making breach after breach and attacking again and again; he runs at me like a giant and irresistible warrior.

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

15 I have sewed sackcloth over my skin and have defiled my horn (my insignia of strength) in the dust.

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

16 M y face is red and swollen 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 A lthough there is no guilt or violence in my hands and my prayer is pure.

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

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

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

19 E ven now, behold, my Witness is in heaven, and He who vouches for me 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 my eye pours out tears to God.

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

21 O h, that there might be one who would plead for a man with God and that he would maintain his right with Him, as a son of man pleads with or for his neighbor!

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

22 F or when a few years are come, I shall go the way from which I shall not return.

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