| King James Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Then Job answered and said, | 1Then Job replied: |
| 2I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all. | 2"I have heard many things like these before. What miserable comforters are you all! |
| 3Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? | 3Will there be an end to your windy words? Or what provokes you that you answer? |
| 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. | 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. |
| 5But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief. | 5But I would strengthen you with my words; comfort from my lips would bring you relief. |
| 6Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased? | 6"But if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I refrain from speaking--how much of it goes away? |
| 7But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company. | 7Surely now he has worn me out, you have devastated my entire household. |
| 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. | 8You have seized me, and it has become a witness; my leanness has risen up against me and testifies against me. |
| 9He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me. | 9His anger has torn me and persecuted me; he has gnashed at me with his teeth; my adversary locks his eyes on me. |
| 10They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me. | 10People have opened their mouths against me, they have struck my cheek in scorn; they unite together against me. |
| 11God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over 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 hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark. | 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 compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground. | 13his archers surround me. Without pity he pierces my kidneys and pours out my gall on the ground. |
| 14He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant. | 14He breaks through against me, time and time again; he rushes against me like a warrior. |
| 15I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust. | 15I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and buried my horn in the dust; |
| 16My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death; | 16my face is reddened because of weeping, and on my eyelids there is a deep darkness, |
| 17Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure. | 17although there is no violence in my hands and my prayer is pure. |
| 18O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place. | 18"O earth, do not cover my blood, nor let there be a secret place for my cry. |
| 19Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high. | 19Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. |
| 20My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. | 20My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; |
| 21O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour! | 21and he contends with God on behalf of man as a man pleads for his friend. |
| 22When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return. | 22For the years that lie ahead are few, and then I will go on the way of no return. |
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