| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Then Job answered and said: | 1Then Job replied: |
| 2“I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all. | 2"I have heard many things like these before. What miserable comforters are you all! |
| 3Shall windy words have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer? | 3Will there be an end to your windy words? Or what provokes you that you answer? |
| 4I also could speak as you do, if you were in my place; I could join words together against you and shake my head at you. | 4I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could pile up words against you and I could shake my head at you. |
| 5I could strengthen you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips would assuage your pain. | 5But I would strengthen you with my words; comfort from my lips would bring you relief. |
| 6“If I speak, my pain is not assuaged, and if I forbear, how much of it leaves me? | 6"But if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I refrain from speaking--how much of it goes away? |
| 7Surely now God has worn me out; he has made desolate all my company. | 7Surely now he has worn me out, you have devastated my entire household. |
| 8And he has shriveled me up, which is a witness against me, and my leanness has risen up against me; it testifies to my face. | 8You have seized me, and it has become a witness; my leanness has risen up against me and testifies against me. |
| 9He has torn me in his wrath and hated me; he has gnashed his teeth at me; my adversary sharpens his eyes against me. | 9His anger has torn me and persecuted me; he has gnashed at me with his teeth; my adversary locks his eyes on me. |
| 10Men have gaped at me with their mouth; they have struck me insolently on the cheek; they mass themselves together against me. | 10People have opened their mouths against me, they have struck my cheek in scorn; they unite together against me. |
| 11God gives me up to the ungodly and casts me into the hands of the wicked. | 11God abandons me to evil men, and throws me into the hands of wicked men. |
| 12I was at ease, and he broke me apart; he seized me by the neck and dashed me to pieces; he set me up as his target; | 12I was in peace, and he has shattered me. He has seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has made me his target; |
| 13his archers surround me. He slashes open my kidneys and does not spare; he pours out my gall on the ground. | 13his archers surround me. Without pity he pierces my kidneys and pours out my gall on the ground. |
| 14He breaks me with breach upon breach; he runs upon me like a warrior. | 14He breaks through against me, time and time again; he rushes against me like a warrior. |
| 15I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin and have laid my strength in the dust. | 15I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and buried my horn in the dust; |
| 16My face is red with weeping, and on my eyelids is deep darkness, | 16my face is reddened because of weeping, and on my eyelids there is a deep darkness, |
| 17although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure. | 17although there is no violence in my hands and my prayer is pure. |
| 18“O earth, cover not my blood, and let my cry find no resting place. | 18"O earth, do not cover my blood, nor let there be a secret place for my cry. |
| 19Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high. | 19Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. |
| 20My friends scorn me; my eye pours out tears to God, | 20My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; |
| 21that he would argue the case of a man with God, as a son of man does with his neighbor. | 21and he contends with God on behalf of man as a man pleads for his friend. |
| 22For when a few years have come I shall go the way from which I shall not return. | 22For the years that lie ahead are few, and then I will go on the way of no return. |
|
    |