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