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.

1 Respondens autem Job, dixit : 2 [Audivi frequenter talia :consolatores onerosi omnes vos estis.3 Numquid habebunt finem verba ventosa ?aut aliquid tibi molestum est, si loquaris ?4 Poteram et ego similia vestri loqui,atque utinam esset anima vestra pro anima mea :5 consolarer et ego vos sermonibus,et moverem caput meum super vos ;6 roborarem vos ore meo,et moverem labia mea, quasi parcens vobis.7 Sed quid agam ? Si locutus fuero, non quiescet dolor meus,et si tacuero, non recedet a me.8 Nunc autem oppressit me dolor meus,et in nihilum redacti sunt omnes artus mei.9 Rug me testimonium dicunt contra me,et suscitatur falsiloquus adversus faciem meam, contradicens mihi.10 Collegit furorem suum in me,et comminans mihi, infremuit contra me dentibus suis :hostis meus terribilibus oculis me intuitus est.11 Aperuerunt super me ora sua,et exprobrantes percusserunt maxillam meam :satiati sunt pnis meis.12 Conclusit me Deus apud iniquum,et manibus impiorum me tradidit.13 Ego ille quondam opulentus, repente contritus sum :tenuit cervicem meam, confregit me,et posuit me sibi quasi in signum.14 Circumdedit me lanceis suis ;convulneravit lumbos meos :non pepercit, et effudit in terra viscera mea.15 Concidit me vulnere super vulnus :irruit in me quasi gigas.16 Saccum consui super cutem meam,et operui cinere carnem meam.17 Facies mea intumuit a fletu,et palpebr me caligaverunt.18 Hc passus sum absque iniquitate manus me,cum haberem mundas ad Deum preces.19 Terra, ne operias sanguinem meum,neque inveniat in te locum latendi clamor meus :20 ecce enim in clo testis meus,et conscius meus in excelsis.21 Verbosi amici mei :ad Deum stillat oculus meus :22 atque utinam sic judicaretur vir cum Deo,quomodo judicatur filius hominis cum collega suo.23 Ecce enim breves anni transeunt,et semitam per quam non revertar ambulo.]