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 emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? 4: I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you. 5: But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief. 6: Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased? 7: But now he hath 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 beareth witness to my face. 9: He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me. 10: They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me. 11: God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked. 12: I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark. 13: His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground. 14: He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant. 15: I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust. 16: My face is foul with weeping, and my eyelids is the shadow of death; 17: Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure. 18: O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place. 19: Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high. 20: My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. 21: O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour! 22: When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
