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 provokes thee that thou answer?

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 has made me weary. Thou have made desolate all my company.

⁸ And thou have laid fast hold on me, which is a witness against me. And 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 upon me with his teeth. My adversary sharpens 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 delivers me to the perverse, and casts me into the hands of the wicked.

¹² I was at ease, and he broke me apart. Yea, he has taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces. He has also set me up for his mark.

¹³ His archers encompass me round about. He splits my reins apart, and does not spare. He pours out my gall upon the ground.

¹⁴ He breaks me with breach upon breach. He runs 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 the shadow of death is on my eyelids,

¹⁷ although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.

¹⁸ O earth, do not cover thou my blood, and let my cry have no resting place.

¹⁹ Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who vouches for me is on high.

²⁰ My friends scoff at me. My eye pours out tears to 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 where I shall not return.