| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then Job answered: | 1Then Job answered: |
| 2“I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all. | 2I have heard many things like these. You are all miserable comforters. |
| 3Is there no end to your long-winded speeches? What provokes you to continue testifying? | 3Is there no end to your empty words? What provokes you that you continue testifying? |
| 4I could also speak like you if you were in my place; I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you. | 4If you were in my place I could also talk like you. I could string words together against you and shake my head at you. |
| 5But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would bring relief. | 5Instead, I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation from my lips would bring relief. |
| 6Even if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I hold back, how will it go away? | 6Even if I speak, my suffering is not relieved, and if I hold back, what have I lost? |
| 7Surely He has now exhausted me; You have devastated all my family. | 7Surely He has now exhausted me. You have devastated my entire family. |
| 8You have bound me, and it has become a witness; my frailty rises up and testifies against me. | 8You have shriveled me up--it has become a witness; My frailty rises up against me and testifies to my face. |
| 9His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes. | 9His anger tears at me, and He harasses me. He gnashes His teeth at me. My enemy pierces me with His eyes. |
| 10They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me. | 10They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join themselves together against me. |
| 11God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked. | 11God hands me over to unjust men; He throws me into the hands of the wicked. |
| 12I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target; | 12I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the scruff of the neck and smashed me to pieces. He set me up as His target; |
| 13His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and spills my gall on the ground. | 13His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and pours my bile on the ground. |
| 14He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a mighty warrior. | 14He breaks through my defenses again and again; He charges at me like a warrior. |
| 15I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my horn in the dust. | 15I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my strength in the dust. |
| 16My face is red with weeping, and deep shadows ring my eyes; | 16My face has grown red with weeping, and darkness covers my eyes, |
| 17yet my hands are free of violence and my prayer is pure. | 17although my hands are free from violence and my prayer is pure. |
| 18O earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help never be laid to rest. | 18Earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help find no resting place. |
| 19Even now my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high. | 19Even now my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is in the heights! |
| 20My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God. | 20My friends scoff at me as I weep before God. |
| 21Oh, that a man might plead with God as he pleads with his neighbor! | 21I wish that someone might arbitrate between a man and God just as a man pleads for his friend. |
| 22For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return. | 22For only a few years will pass before I go the way of no return. |
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