| 1 | Then Job answered, and said: |
| 2 | I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters. |
| 3 | Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak? |
| 4 | I also could speak like you: and would God your soul were for my soul. |
| 5 | I would comfort you also with words, and would wag my head over you. |
| 6 | I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as sparing you. |
| 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 | But now my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing. |
| 9 | My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting 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 | They have opened their mouths upon me, and reproaching me they have struck me on the cheek, they are filled with my pains. |
| 12 | God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked. |
| 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 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 | He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant. |
| 16 | I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes. |
| 17 | My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim. |
| 18 | These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God. |
| 19 | O earth, cover not thou my blood, neither let my cry find a hiding place in thee. |
| 20 | For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high. |
| 21 | My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God. |
| 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 I shall not return. |
