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. You are all miserable comforters!

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

Shall vain words have an end? Or what provokes you that you 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 your soul were in my soul’s place, 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.

but I would strengthen you with my mouth. The solace of my lips would relieve you.

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

“Though I speak, my grief is not subsided. Though I forbear, what am I eased?

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

But now, God, you have surely worn me out. You have made desolate all my company.

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 shriveled me up. This is a witness against me. My leanness rises up against me. It testifies 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.

He has torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me. He has gnashed on me with his teeth. My adversary sharpens his eyes on me.

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

They have gaped on me with their mouth. They have struck me on the cheek reproachfully. They gather themselves together against me.

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

God delivers me to the ungodly, and casts me into the hands of the wicked.

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 at ease, and he broke me apart. Yes, he has taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces. He has also 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.

His archers surround me. He splits my kidneys apart, 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.

He breaks me with breach on breach. He runs on me like a giant.

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

I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and have thrust my horn in the dust.

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

My face is red with weeping. Deep darkness is on my eyelids.

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

Although there is no 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!

“Earth, don’t cover my blood. Let my cry have no place to rest.

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

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

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

My friends scoff at me. My eyes pour out tears to God,

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

that he would maintain the right of a man with God, of a son of man with his neighbor!

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

For when a few years have come, I shall go the way of no return.