Job’s Reply
1Job replied,
2“I’ve heard many of these things before.
All of you are terrible at comforting me!
3Your speeches go on forever.
Won’t they ever end?
What’s wrong with you?
Why do you keep on arguing?
4If you and I changed places,
I could say the same things you are saying.
I could make fine speeches against you.
I could shake my head at you.
5But what I might say would give you hope.
My words of comfort would help you.
6“If I speak, it doesn’t help me.
And if I keep quiet, my pain doesn’t go away.
7God has worn me out completely.
He has destroyed my whole family.
8People can see the condition he has put me in.
My thin body stands as a witness against me.
9God is angry with me.
He attacks me and tears me up.
He grinds his teeth at me.
He stares at me as if he were my enemy.
10People make fun of me.
They slap my face and laugh at me.
All of them join together against me.
11God has turned me over to sinful people.
He has handed me over to them.
12Everything was going well with me.
But he broke me into pieces like a clay pot.
He grabbed me by the neck and crushed me.
He has taken aim at me.
13He shoots his arrows at me from all sides.
Without pity, he stabs me in the kidneys.
He spills my insides on the ground.
14He smashes through me as if I were a wall.
He rushes at me like a fighting man.
15“I’ve sewed rough clothing over my skin.
All I can do is sit here in the dust.
16My face is red from crying.
I have dark circles under my eyes.
17But I haven’t harmed anyone.
My prayers to God are pure.
18“Earth, please don’t cover up my blood!
May God always hear my cry for help!
19Even now my witness is in heaven.
The one who speaks up for me is there.
20My go-between is my friend
as I pour out my tears to God.
21He makes his appeal to God to help me
as a person pleads for a friend.
22“Only a few years will pass by.
Then I’ll take the path of no return.
1Then Job answered and said, 2I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.16.2 miserable: or, troublesome 3Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?16.3 vain…: Heb. words of wind 4I 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. 5But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.
6Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?16.6 what…: Heb. what goeth from me? 7But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company. 8And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face. 9He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me. 10They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me. 11God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.16.11 hath…: Heb. hath shut me up 12I 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. 13His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground. 14He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant. 15I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust. 16My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
17Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure. 18O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place. 19Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.16.19 on high: Heb. in the high places 20My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.16.20 scorn me: Heb. are my scorners 21O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!16.21 neighbour: or, friend 22When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.16.22 a few…: Heb. years of number
