¹ Then responded Job, and said:—

² I have heard many such things, Wearisome comforters, are ye all!

³ Is there to be an end to windy words? Or what so strongly exciteth thee, that thou must respond?

⁴ I also, like you, could speak,—If your soul were in the place of my soul, I could string together words against you, and could therewith shake over you my head.

⁵ I could make you determined, by my mouth, and then my lip-solace should restrain you.

⁶ Though I do speak, unassuaged is my stinging pain,—And, if I forbear, of what am I relieved?

⁷ But, now, hath he wearied me, thou hast destroyed all my family;

⁸ And, having captured me, it hath served, as a witness; and so my wasting away hath risen up against me, in my face, it answereth.

⁹ His anger, hath torn and persecuted me, He hath gnashed upon me with his teeth, Mine adversary, hath sharpened his eyes for me.

¹⁰ They have gaped upon me with their mouth, With reproach, have they smitten my cheek, Together, against me, have they closed their ranks.

¹¹ GOD doth abandon me to him that is perverse, and, into the hands of the lawless, he throweth me headlong.

¹² At ease, was I when he shattered me, Yea he seized me by my neck, and dashed me in pieces, then set me up for himself as a mark:

¹³ His archers came round against me, He clave asunder my reins, and spared not, He poured out, on the earth, my gall:

¹⁴ He made a breach in me, breach upon breach, He ran upon me, like a mighty man.

¹⁵ Sackcloth, sewed I on my skin, and rolled—in the dust—my horn:

¹⁶ My face, is reddened from weeping, and, upon mine eyelashes, is the death-shade:—

¹⁷ Though no violence was in my hands, and, my prayer, was pure.

¹⁸ O earth! do not cover my blood, and let there be no place for mine outcry.

¹⁹ Even now, lo! in the heavens, is my witness,

²⁰ And, he that voucheth for me is on high. My friends are, they who scorn me, Unto GOD, hath mine eye shed tears:—

²¹ That one might plead, for a man, with GOD,—Even a son of man, for his friend!

²² When, a few years, come, then, by a path by which I shall not return, shall I depart.