| 1 Then Job answered and said, | 1 Then Job answered, and said: |
| 2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all. | 2 I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters. |
| 3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? | 3 Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak? |
| 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. | 4 I also could speak like you: and would God your soul were for my soul. |
| 5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief. | 5 I would comfort you also with words, and would wag my head over you. |
| 6 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased? | 6 I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as sparing you. |
| 7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company. | 7 But what shall I do? If I speak, my pain will not rest: and if I hold my peace, it will not depart from me. |
| 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. | 8 But now my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing. |
| 9 He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me. | 9 My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting 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. | 10 He hath gathered together his fury against me, and threatening me he hath gnashed with his teeth upon me: my enemy hath beheld me with terrible eyes. |
| 11 God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked. | 11 They have opened their mouths upon me, and reproaching me they have struck me on the cheek, they are filled with my pains. |
| 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. | 12 God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked. |
| 13 His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground. | 13 I that was formerly so wealthy, am all on a sudden broken to pieces: he hath taken me by my neck, he hath broken me, and hath set me up to be his mark. |
| 14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant. | 14 He hath compassed me round about with his lances, he hath wounded my loins, he hath not spared, and hath poured out my bowels on the earth. |
| 15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust. | 15 He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant. |
| 16 My face is foul with weeping, and my eyelids is the shadow of death; | 16 I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes. |
| 17 Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure. | 17 My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim. |
| 18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place. | 18 These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God. |
| 19 Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high. | 19 O earth, cover not thou my blood, neither let my cry find a hiding place in thee. |
| 20 My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. | 20 For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high. |
| 21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour! | 21 My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God. |
| 22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return. | 22 And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion! |
| 23 For behold short years pass away and I am walking in a path by which l shall not return. |