Job Reproaches His Pitiless Friends
1 Then Job answered and said:
2 “I have heard many such things;
# Miserable comfortersareyou all!
3 Shall words of wind have an end?
Or what provokes you that you answer?
4 I also could speak as youdo,
If your soul were in my soul’s place.
I could heap up words against you,
# Andshake my head at you;
5 ButI would strengthen you with my mouth,
And the comfort of my lips would relieveyourgrief.
6 “Though I speak, my grief is not relieved;
AndifI remain silent, how am I eased?
7 But now He hasworn me out;
# Youhave made desolate all my company.
8 You have shriveled me up,
# And it is awitnessagainstme;
My leanness rises up against me
Andbears witness to my face.
9 He tearsmein His wrath, and hates me;
He gnashes at me with His teeth;
# My adversary sharpens His gaze on me.
10 Theygape at me with their mouth,
# Theystrike me reproachfully on the cheek,
They gather together against me.
11 Godhas delivered me to the ungodly,
And turned me over to the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but He hasshattered me;
He also has takenmeby my neck, and shaken me to pieces;
# He hasset me up for His target,
13 His archers surround me.
He pierces my heart and does not pity;
He pours out my gall on the ground.
14 He breaks me with wound upon wound;
He runs at me like a warrior.
15 “I have sewn sackcloth over my skin,
# Andlaid my head in the dust.
16 My face is flushed from weeping,
And on my eyelidsisthe shadow of death;
17 Although no violenceisin my hands,
And my prayerispure.
18 “O earth, do not cover my blood,
# Andlet my cry have norestingplace!
19 Surely even nowmy witnessisin heaven,
And my evidenceison high.
20 My friends scorn me;
My eyes pour outtearsto God.
21 Oh, that one might plead for a man with God,
As a manpleadsfor his neighbor!
22 For when a few years are finished,
# I shallgo the way of no return.