1 T hen Job answered and said:

Then Job answered,

2 “ I have heard many such things; Miserable comforters are you all!

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

3 S hall words of wind have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer?

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

4 I also could speak as you do, If your soul were in my soul’s place. I could heap up words against you, And shake my head at you;

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.

5 B ut I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.

I would strengthen and encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would soothe your suffering.

6 “ Though I speak, my grief is not relieved; And if I remain silent, how am I eased?

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

7 B ut now He has worn me out; You have made desolate all my company.

But now has taken away my strength. You have made desolate all my family and associates.

8 Y ou have shriveled me up, And it is a witness against me; My leanness rises up against me And bears witness to my face.

You 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.

9 H e tears me in His wrath, and hates me; He gnashes at me with His teeth; My adversary sharpens His gaze on me.

'> 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.

10 T hey gape at me with their mouth, They strike me reproachfully on the cheek, They gather together against me.

have gaped at me with their mouths; they have struck me upon the cheek insolently; they massed themselves together and conspired unanimously against me.

11 G od has delivered me to the ungodly, And turned me over to the hands of the wicked.

God has delivered me to the ungodly (to the evil one) and cast me into the hands of the wicked (Satan’s host).

12 I was at ease, but He has shattered me; He also has taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces; He has set me up for His target,

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.

13 H is archers surround me. He pierces my heart and does not pity; He pours out my gall on the ground.

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

14 H e breaks me with wound upon wound; He runs at me like a warrior.

stabs me, making breach after breach and attacking again and again; he runs at me like a giant and irresistible warrior.

15 “ I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, And laid my head in the dust.

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

16 M y face is flushed from weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

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

17 A lthough no violence is in my hands, And my prayer is pure.

Although there is no guilt or violence in my hands and my prayer is pure.

18 “ O earth, do not cover my blood, And let my cry have no resting place!

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

19 S urely even now my witness is in heaven, And my evidence is on high.

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

20 M y friends scorn me; My eyes pour out tears to God.

My friends scorn me, but my eye pours out tears to God.

21 O h, that one might plead for a man with God, As a man pleads for his neighbor!

Oh, 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!

22 F or when a few years are finished, I shall go the way of no return.

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