| 1 ¶ Then Job answered and said,
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| 2 I have heard many such things: miserable1 comforters are ye all.
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| 3 Shall vain2 words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?
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| 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.
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| 5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.
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| 6 ¶ Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what3 am I eased?
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| 7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.
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| 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.
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| 9 He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
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| 10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.
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| 11 God hath4 delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.
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| 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.
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| 13 His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.
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| 14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.
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| 15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
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| 16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
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| 17 ¶ Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.
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| 18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.
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| 19 Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.5
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| 20 My friends scorn me:6 but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.
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| 21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour7!
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| 22 When a few8 years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
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