¹ Then Job answered and said,

^{2 Ref} I have heard many such things: Miserable comforters are ye all.

^{3 Ref} Shall vain words have an end? Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?

^{4 Ref} I also could speak as ye do; If your soul were in my soul's stead, I could join words together against you, And shake my head at you.

^{5 Ref} `But' I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the solace of my lips would assuage `your grief'.

^{6 Ref} Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged; And though I forbear, what am I eased?

^{7 Ref} But now he hath made me weary: Thou hast made desolate all my company.

^{8 Ref} And thou hast laid fast hold on me, `which' is a witness `against me': And my leanness riseth up against me, It testifieth to my face.

^{9 Ref} He hath torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me; He hath gnashed upon me with his teeth: Mine adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

^{10 Ref} They have gaped upon me with their mouth; They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully: They gather themselves together against me.

^{11 Ref} God delivereth me to the ungodly, And casteth me into the hands of the wicked.

^{12 Ref} I was at ease, and he brake me asunder; Yea, he hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces: He hath also set me up for his mark.

^{13 Ref} His archers compass me round about; He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; He poureth out my gall upon the ground.

^{14 Ref} He breaketh me with breach upon breach; He runneth upon me like a giant.

^{15 Ref} I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, And have laid my horn in the dust.

^{16 Ref} My face is red with weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

^{17 Ref} Although there is no violence in my hands, And my prayer is pure.

^{18 Ref} O earth, cover not thou my blood, And let my cry have no `resting' -place.

^{19 Ref} Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And he that voucheth for me is on high.

^{20 Ref} My friends scoff at me: `But' mine eye poureth out tears unto God,

^{21 Ref} That he would maintain the right of a man with God, And of a son of man with his neighbor!

^{22 Ref} For when a few years are come, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

¹ And Job made answer and said,

^{2 Ref} Such things have frequently come to my ears: you are comforters who only give trouble.

^{3 Ref} May words which are like the wind be stopped? or what is troubling you to make answer to them?

^{4 Ref} It would not be hard for me to say such things if your souls were in my soul's place; joining words together against you, and shaking my head at you:

^{5 Ref} I might give you strength with my mouth, and not keep back the comfort of my lips.

^{6 Ref} If I say what is in my mind, my pain becomes no less: and if I keep quiet, how much of it goes from me?

^{7 Ref} But now he has overcome me with weariness and fear, and I am in the grip of all my trouble.

^{8 Ref} It has come up as a witness against me, and the wasting of my flesh makes answer to my face.

^{9 Ref} I am broken by his wrath, and his hate has gone after me; he has made his teeth sharp against me: my haters are looking on me with cruel eyes;

^{10 Ref} Their mouths are open wide against me; the blows of his bitter words are falling on my face; all of them come together in a mass against me.

^{11 Ref} God gives me over to the power of sinners, sending me violently into the hands of evil-doers.

^{12 Ref} I was in comfort, but I have been broken up by his hands; he has taken me by the neck, shaking me to bits; he has put me up as a mark for his arrows.

^{13 Ref} His bowmen come round about me; their arrows go through my body without mercy; my life is drained out on the earth.

^{14 Ref} I am broken with wound after wound; he comes rushing on me like a man of war.

^{15 Ref} I have made haircloth the clothing of my skin, and my horn is rolled in the dust.

^{16 Ref} My face is red with weeping, and my eyes are becoming dark;

^{17 Ref} Though my hands have done no violent acts, and my prayer is clean.

^{18 Ref} O earth, let not my blood be covered, and let my cry have no resting-place!

^{19 Ref} Even now my witness is in heaven, and the supporter of my cause is on high.

^{20 Ref} My friends make sport of me; to God my eyes are weeping,

^{21 Ref} So that he may give decision for a man in his cause with God, and between a son of man and his neighbour.

^{22 Ref} For in a short time I will take the journey from which I will not come back.