1 Então, respondeu Jó:
2 Tenho ouvido muitas coisas como estas;
todos vós sois consoladores molestos.
3 Porventura, não terão fim essas palavras de vento?
Ou que é que te instiga para responderes assim?
4 Eu também poderia falar como vós falais;
se a vossa alma estivesse em lugar da minha,
eu poderia dirigir-vos um montão de palavras
e menear contra vós outros a minha cabeça;
5 poderia fortalecer-vos com as minhas palavras,
e a compaixão dos meus lábios abrandaria a vossa dor.
6 Se eu falar, a minha dor não cessa;
se me calar, qual é o meu alívio?
7 Na verdade, as minhas forças estão exaustas;
tu, ó Deus, destruíste a minha família toda.
8 Testemunha disto é que já me tornaste encarquilhado,
a minha magreza já se levanta contra mim
e me acusa cara a cara.
9 Na sua ira me despedaçou e tem animosidade contra mim;
contra mim rangeu os dentes
e, como meu adversário, aguça os olhos.
10 Homens abrem contra mim a boca,
com desprezo me esbofeteiam,
e contra mim todos se ajuntam.
11 Deus me entrega ao ímpio
e nas mãos dos perversos me faz cair.
12 Em paz eu vivia, porém ele me quebrantou;
pegou-me pelo pescoço e me despedaçou;
pôs-me por seu alvo.
13 Cercam-me as suas flechas,
atravessa-me os rins, e não me poupa,
e o meu fel derrama na terra.
14 Fere-me com ferimento sobre ferimento,
arremete contra mim como um guerreiro.
15 Cosi sobre a minha pele o cilício
e revolvi o meu orgulho no pó.
16 O meu rosto está todo afogueado de chorar,
e sobre as minhas pálpebras está a sombra da morte,
17 embora não haja violência nas minhas mãos,
e seja pura a minha oração.
18 Ó terra, não cubras o meu sangue,
e não haja lugar em que se oculte o meu clamor!
19 Já agora sabei que a minha testemunha está no céu,
e, nas alturas, quem advoga a minha causa.
20 Os meus amigos zombam de mim,
mas os meus olhos se desfazem em lágrimas diante de Deus,
21 para que ele mantenha o direito do homem contra o próprio Deus
e o do filho do homem contra o seu próximo.
22 Porque dentro de poucos anos
eu seguirei o caminho de onde não tornarei.
1 Then Job answered and said,
2 I have heard many such things:
Miserable comforters are ye all.
3 Shall vain words have an end?
Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?
4 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 But I would strengthen you with my mouth,
And the solace of my lips would assuage your grief.
6 Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged;
And though I forbear, what am I eased?
7 But now he hath made me weary:
Thou hast made desolate all my company.
8 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 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 They have gaped upon me with their mouth;
They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully:
They gather themselves together against me.
11 God delivereth me to the ungodly,
And casteth me into the hands of the wicked.
12 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 His archers compass me round about;
He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare;
He poureth out my gall upon the ground.
14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach;
He runneth upon me like a giant.
15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin,
And have laid my horn in the dust.
16 My face is red with weeping,
And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
17 Although there is no violence in my hands,
And my prayer is pure.
18 O earth, cover not thou my blood,
And let my cry have no resting-place.
19 Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven,
And he that voucheth for me is on high.
20 My friends scoff at me:
But mine eye poureth out tears unto God,
21 That he would maintain the right of a man with God,
And of a son of man with his neighbor!
22 For when a few years are come,
I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
1 Then Job replied:
2 "I have heard many things like these; you are miserable comforters, all of you!
3 Will your long-winded speeches never end? What ails you that you keep on arguing?
4 I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could make fine speeches against you and shake my head at you.
5 But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.
6 "Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved; and if I refrain, it does not go away.
7 Surely, God, you have worn me out; you have devastated my entire household.
8 You have shriveled me up —and it has become a witness; my gauntness rises up and testifies against me.
9 God assails me and tears me in his anger and gnashes his teeth at me; my opponent fastens on me his piercing eyes.
10 People open their mouths to jeer at me; they strike my cheek in scorn and unite together against me.
11 God has turned me over to the ungodly and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked.
12 All was well with me, but he shattered me; he seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has made me his target;
13 his archers surround me. Without pity, he pierces my kidneys and spills my gall on the ground.
14 Again and again he bursts upon me; he rushes at me like a warrior.
15 "I have sewed sackcloth over my skin and buried my brow in the dust.
16 My face is red with weeping, dark shadows ring my eyes;
17 yet my hands have been free of violence and my prayer is pure.
18 "Earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry never be laid to rest!
19 Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high.
20 My intercessor is my friend "as my eyes pour out tears to God;
21 on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend.
22 "Only a few years will pass before I take the path of no return.