1 T hen Job answered,

Then Job answered,

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

“I have heard many such things. All of you bring trouble instead of comfort.

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

Is there no end to your words that are full of wind? What is your problem that you keep on talking?

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 like you, if I were in your place. I could put words together 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.

I could give you strength with my mouth. I could speak words of comfort and make your pain less.

6 I f I speak, my sorrow is not soothed or lessened; and if I refrain, in what way am I eased?

“If I speak, my pain is not made less. And if I keep quiet, it does not leave me.

7 B ut now has taken away my strength. You have made desolate all my family and associates.

But now God has taken away my strength. He has taken away all my family.

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.

He has made me dry up, and this speaks against me. The wasting away of my body rises up against me. It speaks against me 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 anger has torn me and hated me. He has ground His teeth at me. The one against me looks hard at 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.

Men have looked at me with their mouths open. They have hit me on the face with anger. They have gathered 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 gives me over to bad men. He throws me into the hands of the sinful.

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 living in comfort, but He has taken that away. He has taken hold of me by the neck and shaken me to pieces. He has set me up for something to shoot at.

13 a rrows whiz around me. He slashes open my vitals and does not spare; he pours out my gall on the ground.

His arrows are all around me. He cuts my kidneys open without pity. He pours the bitter insides on 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 hurts me again and again. He runs at me like a man of war.

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

I have sewed cloth made from hair over my skin, and have laid my hope in the dust.

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

My face is red from crying, and darkness is over my eyes.

17 A lthough there is no guilt or violence in my hands and my prayer is pure.

But my hands have done nothing bad, and my prayer is pure.

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

“O earth, do not cover my blood. Let my cry have no place to rest.

19 E ven now, behold, my Witness is in heaven, and He who vouches for me is on high.

See, even now there is One Who sees me from heaven. The One Who speaks for me is on high.

20 M y friends scorn me, but my eye pours out tears to God.

My friends make fun of me. My eyes pour out tears to 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!

If only a man could give reasons to God, as a man does for his neighbor!

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

In a few years I will go the way that I cannot return.