1 T hen Job answered,

2 “ I have heard many such things; Sorry comforters are you all.

3 “ Is there no limit to windy words? Or what plagues you that you answer?

4 “ I too could speak like you, If I were in your place. I could compose words against you And shake my head at you.

5 “ I could strengthen you with my mouth, And the solace of my lips could lessen your pain. Job Says God Shattered Him

6 “ If I speak, my pain is not lessened, And if I hold back, what has left me?

7 “ But now He has exhausted me; You have laid waste all my company.

8 “ You have shriveled me up, It has become a witness; And my leanness rises up against me, It testifies to my face.

9 “ His anger has torn me and hunted me down, He has gnashed at me with His teeth; My adversary glares at me.

10 “ They have gaped at me with their mouth, They have slapped me on the cheek with contempt; They have massed themselves against me.

11 “ God hands me over to ruffians And tosses me into the hands of the wicked.

12 “ I was at ease, but He shattered me, And He has grasped me by the neck and shaken me to pieces; He has also set me up as His target.

13 “ His arrows surround me. Without mercy He splits my kidneys open; He pours out my gall on the ground.

14 “ He breaks through me with breach after breach; He runs at me like a warrior.

15 “ I have sewed sackcloth over my skin And thrust my horn in the dust.

16 “ My face is flushed from weeping, And deep darkness is on my eyelids,

17 A lthough there is no violence in my hands, And my prayer is pure.

18 “ O earth, do not cover my blood, And let there be no resting place for my cry.

19 “ Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And my advocate is on high.

20 “ My friends are my scoffers; My eye weeps to God.

21 “ O that a man might plead with God As a man with his neighbor!

22 “ For when a few years are past, I shall go the way of no return.