New King James 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 words of wind 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 your soul were in my soul’s place. I could heap up words 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. |
5But I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief. | 5But I would strengthen you with my words; comfort from my lips would bring you relief. |
6“Though I speak, my grief is not relieved; And if I remain silent, how am I eased? | 6"But if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I refrain from speaking--how much of it goes away? |
7But now He has worn me out; You have made desolate all my company. | 7Surely now he has worn me out, you have devastated my entire household. |
8You have shriveled me up, And it is a witness against me; My leanness rises up against me And bears witness 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 tears me in His wrath, and hates me; He gnashes at me with His teeth; My adversary sharpens His gaze on me. | 9His anger has torn me and persecuted me; he has gnashed at me with his teeth; my adversary locks his eyes on me. |
10They gape at me with their mouth, They strike me reproachfully on the cheek, They gather together against me. | 10People have opened their mouths against me, they have struck my cheek in scorn; they unite together against me. |
11God has delivered me to the ungodly, And turned me over to the hands of the wicked. | 11God abandons me to evil men, and throws me into the hands of wicked men. |
12I was at ease, but He has shattered me; He also has taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces; He has set me up for 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 pierces my heart and does not pity; 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 wound upon wound; He runs at me like a warrior. | 14He breaks through against me, time and time again; he rushes against me like a warrior. |
15“I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, And laid my head in the dust. | 15I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and buried my horn in the dust; |
16My face is flushed from weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death; | 16my face is reddened because of weeping, and on my eyelids there is a deep darkness, |
17Although no violence is in my hands, And my prayer is pure. | 17although there is no violence in my hands and my prayer is pure. |
18“O earth, do not cover my blood, And let my cry have no resting place! | 18"O earth, do not cover my blood, nor let there be a secret place for my cry. |
19Surely even now my witness is in heaven, And my evidence is on high. | 19Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. |
20My friends scorn me; My eyes pour out tears to God. | 20My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; |
21Oh, that one might plead for a man with God, As a man pleads for his neighbor! | 21and he contends with God on behalf of man as a man pleads for his friend. |
22For when a few years are finished, I shall go the way of no return. | 22For the years that lie ahead are few, and then I will go on the way of no return. |
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