Job
1-2 I have heard words like that before;
the comfort you give is only torment.
3 Are you going to keep on talking forever?
Do you always have to have the last word?
4 If you were in my place and I in yours,
I could say everything you are saying.
I could shake my head wisely
and drown you with a flood of words.
5 I could strengthen you with advice
and keep talking to comfort you.
6 But nothing I say helps,
and being silent does not calm my pain.
7 You have worn me out, God;
you have let my family be killed.
8 You have seized me; you are my enemy.
I am skin and bones,
and people take that as proof of my guilt.
9 In anger God tears me limb from limb;
he glares at me with hate.
10 People sneer at me;
they crowd around me and slap my face.
11 God has handed me over to evil people.
12 I was living in peace,
but God took me by the throat
and battered me and crushed me.
God uses me for target practice
13 and shoots arrows at me from every side—
arrows that pierce and wound me;
and even then he shows no pity.
14 He wounds me again and again;
he attacks like a soldier gone mad with hate.
15 I mourn and wear clothes made of sackcloth,
and I sit here in the dust defeated.
16 I have cried until my face is red,
and my eyes are swollen and circled with shadows,
17 but I am not guilty of any violence,
and my prayer to God is sincere.
18 O Earth, don't hide the wrongs done to me!
Don't let my call for justice be silenced!
19 There is someone in heaven
to stand up for me and take my side.
20 My friends scorn me;
my eyes pour out tears to God.
21 I want someone to plead with God for me,
as one pleads for a friend.
22 My years are passing now,
and I walk the road of no return.
1 Bvt Iob answered, and said, 2 I haue oft times heard such things: miserable comforters are ye all. 3 Shall there be none ende of wordes of winde? or what maketh thee bold so to answere? 4 I could also speake as yee doe: (but woulde God your soule were in my soules stead) I could keepe you company in speaking, and could shake mine head at you, 5 But I woulde strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips should asswage your sorowe. 6 Though I speake, my sorow can not be asswaged: though I cease, what release haue I? 7 But now hee maketh mee wearie: O God, thou hast made all my congregation desolate, 8 And hast made me full of wrinkles which is a witnesse thereof, and my leannes ryseth vp in me, testifying the same in my face. 9 His wrath hath torne me, and hee hateth me, and gnasheth vpon mee with his teeth: mine enemie hath sharpened his eyes against me. 10 They haue opened their mouthes vpon me, and smitten me on the cheeke in reproch; they gather themselues together against me. 11 God hath deliuered me to the vniust, and hath made mee to turne out of the way by the hands of the wicked. 12 I was in welth, but he hath brought me to nought: he hath taken me by the necke, and beaten me, and set me as a marke for himselfe. 13 His archers compasse mee rounde about: he cutteth my reines, and doth not spare, and powreth my gall vpon the ground. 14 He hath broken me with one breaking vpon another, and runneth vpon me like a gyant. 15 I haue sowed a sackcloth vpon my skinne, and haue abased mine horne vnto the dust. 16 My face is withered with weeping, and the shadow of death is vpon mine eyes, 17 Though there be no wickednesse in mine hands, and my prayer be pure. 18 O earth, couer not thou my blood, and let my crying finde no place. 19 For lo, now my witnesse is in the heauen, and my record is on hie. 20 My friends speake eloquently against me: but mine eye powreth out teares vnto God. 21 Oh that a man might pleade with God, as man with his neighbour! 22 For the yeeres accounted come, and I shall go the way, whence I shall not returne.