¹Then Job answered ,

²“I have heard many such things .

You are all miserable comforters !

³Shall vain words have an end ?

Or what provokes you that you answer ?

⁴I 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 ,

⁵but 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 ?

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

You have made all my company desolate .

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

My leanness rises up against me .

It testifies to my face .

⁹He has torn me in his wrath and persecuted me .

He has gnashed on me with his teeth .

My adversary sharpens his eyes on me .

¹⁰They have gaped on me with their mouth .

They have struck me on the cheek reproachfully .

They gather themselves together against me .

¹¹God delivers me to the ungodly ,

and casts me into the hands of the wicked .

¹²I 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 .

¹³His archers surround me .

He splits my kidneys apart, and does not spare .

He pours out my bile on the ground.

¹⁴He breaks me with breach on breach .

He runs at me like a giant .

¹⁵I have sewed sackcloth on my skin ,

and have thrust my horn in the dust .

¹⁶My face is red with weeping .

Deep darkness is on my eyelids ,

¹⁷although 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 .

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

He who vouches for me is on high .

²⁰My friends scoff at me .

My eyes pour out tears to God,

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

of a son of man with his neighbour !

²²For when a few years have come ,

I will go the way of no return .