| Holman Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Then Job answered: | 1Then Job replied: |
| 2I have heard many things like these. You are all miserable comforters. | 2"I have heard many things like these before. What miserable comforters are you all! |
| 3Is there no end to your empty words? What provokes you that you continue testifying? | 3Will there be an end to your windy words? Or what provokes you that you answer? |
| 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. | 4I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could pile up words against you and I could shake my head at you. |
| 5Instead, I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation from my lips would bring relief. | 5But I would strengthen you with my words; comfort from my lips would bring you relief. |
| 6Even if I speak, my suffering is not relieved, and if I hold back, what have I lost? | 6"But if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I refrain from speaking--how much of it goes away? |
| 7Surely He has now exhausted me. You have devastated my entire family. | 7Surely now he has worn me out, you have devastated my entire household. |
| 8You have shriveled me up--it has become a witness; My frailty rises up against me and testifies to my face. | 8You have seized me, and it has become a witness; my leanness has risen up against me and testifies against me. |
| 9His anger tears at me, and He harasses me. He gnashes His teeth at me. My enemy pierces me with His eyes. | 9His anger has torn me and persecuted me; he has gnashed at me with his teeth; my adversary locks his eyes on me. |
| 10They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join themselves together against me. | 10People have opened their mouths against me, they have struck my cheek in scorn; they unite together against me. |
| 11God hands me over to unjust men; He throws me into the hands of the wicked. | 11God abandons me to evil men, and throws me into the hands of wicked men. |
| 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; | 12I was in peace, and he has shattered me. He has seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has made me his target; |
| 13His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and pours my bile on the ground. | 13his archers surround me. Without pity he pierces my kidneys and pours out my gall on the ground. |
| 14He breaks through my defenses again and again; He charges at me like a warrior. | 14He breaks through against me, time and time again; he rushes against me like a warrior. |
| 15I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my strength in the dust. | 15I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and buried my horn in the dust; |
| 16My face has grown red with weeping, and darkness covers my eyes, | 16my face is reddened because of weeping, and on my eyelids there is a deep darkness, |
| 17although my hands are free from violence and my prayer is pure. | 17although there is no violence in my hands and my prayer is pure. |
| 18Earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help find no resting place. | 18"O earth, do not cover my blood, nor let there be a secret place for my cry. |
| 19Even now my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is in the heights! | 19Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. |
| 20My friends scoff at me as I weep before God. | 20My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; |
| 21I wish that someone might arbitrate between a man and God just as a man pleads for his friend. | 21and he contends with God on behalf of man as a man pleads for his friend. |
| 22For only a few years will pass before I go the way of no return. | 22For the years that lie ahead are few, and then I will go on the way of no return. |
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