1 Then Job answered,

2 "I have heard many such things.

You are all miserable comforters!

3 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 join words together against you,

and shake my head at you,

5 but I would strengthen you with my mouth.

The solace of my lips would relieve you.

6 "Though I speak, my grief is not subsided.

Though I forbear, what am I eased?

7 But now, God, you have surely worn me out.

You have made all my company desolate.

8 You have shriveled me up. This is a witness against me.

My leanness rises up against me.

It testifies to my face.

9 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 They have gaped on me with their mouth.

They have struck me on the cheek reproachfully.

They gather themselves together against me.

11 God delivers me to the ungodly,

and casts me into the hands of the wicked.

12 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 His archers surround me.

He splits my kidneys apart, and does not spare.

He pours out my bile on the ground.

14 He breaks me with breach on breach.

He runs at me like a giant.

15 I have sewed sackcloth on my skin,

and have thrust my horn in the dust.

16 My face is red with weeping.

Deep darkness is on my eyelids,

17 although there is no violence in my hands,

and my prayer is pure.

18 "Earth, don’t cover my blood.

Let my cry have no place to rest.

19 Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven.

He who vouches for me is on high.

20 My friends scoff at me.

My eyes pour out tears to God,

21 that he would maintain the right of a man with God,

of a son of man with his neighbor!

22 For when a few years have come,

I will go the way of no return.

1 Then Job answered and said,

2 Many times I have heard such things; miserable comforters [are] ye all.

3 Shall vain words have an end? Or what is it that emboldens thee to answer?

4 I also could speak as ye [do]. I wish your soul were in my soul's stead, that I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you.

5 [But] I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would assuage [the pain].

6 Though if I speak, my pain does not cease; and if I forbear [to speak], it does not depart from me.

7 But now he has made me weary; thou hast made desolate all my company.

8 And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, [which] is a witness [against me]: and my leanness rising up in me bears witness to my face.

9 His wrath has torn me and has been against me; he gnashed upon me with his teeth; my enemy sharpened his eyes upon me.

10 They have opened their mouth against me; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

11 God has delivered me unto the liar, and in the hands of the wicked he has caused me to tremble.

12 I was prosperous, but he has broken me asunder; he has taken [me] by my neck and shaken me to pieces and set me up for his mark.

13 His archers compassed me round about; he cleaved my kidneys asunder and did not spare; he poured out my gall upon the ground.

14 He broke me with breach upon breach; he ran upon me like a giant.

15 I have sewn sackcloth upon my skin and put dust over my head.

16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids [is] the shadow of death,

17 even though there is no injustice in my hands, and my prayer [has been] pure.

18 O earth, do not cover my blood; and let there be no place [where] my cry [is hidden].

19 Certainly my witness [is] even now in the heavens, and my record [is] on high.

20 Those who dispute with me are my friends, [but] my eyes shall pour out [tears] unto God.

21 O that a man might dispute with God, as he can with his neighbour!

22 When the counted years are come, then I shall go the way from which I shall not return.: