| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Then Job answered and said: | 1Then Job answered: |
| 2“I have heard many such things; Miserable comforters are you all! | 2“I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all. |
| 3Shall words of wind have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer? | 3Is there no end to your long-winded speeches? What provokes you to continue testifying? |
| 4I also could speak as you do, If your soul were in my soul’s place. I could heap up words against you, And shake my head at you; | 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. |
| 5But I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief. | 5But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would bring relief. |
| 6“Though I speak, my grief is not relieved; And if I remain silent, how am I eased? | 6Even if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I hold back, how will it go away? |
| 7But now He has worn me out; You have made desolate all my company. | 7Surely He has now exhausted me; You have devastated all my family. |
| 8You have shriveled me up, And it is a witness against me; My leanness rises up against me And bears witness to my face. | 8You have bound me, and it has become a witness; my frailty rises up and testifies against me. |
| 9He tears me in His wrath, and hates me; He gnashes at me with His teeth; My adversary sharpens His gaze on me. | 9His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes. |
| 10They gape at me with their mouth, They strike me reproachfully on the cheek, They gather together against me. | 10They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me. |
| 11God has delivered me to the ungodly, And turned me over to the hands of the wicked. | 11God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked. |
| 12I was at ease, but He has shattered me; He also has taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces; He has set me up for His target, | 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; |
| 13His archers surround me. He pierces my heart and does not pity; He pours out my gall on the ground. | 13His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and spills my gall on the ground. |
| 14He breaks me with wound upon wound; He runs at me like a warrior. | 14He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a mighty warrior. |
| 15“I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, And laid my head in the dust. | 15I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my horn in the dust. |
| 16My face is flushed from weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death; | 16My face is red with weeping, and deep shadows ring my eyes; |
| 17Although no violence is in my hands, And my prayer is pure. | 17yet my hands are free of violence and my prayer is pure. |
| 18“O earth, do not cover my blood, And let my cry have no resting place! | 18O earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help never be laid to rest. |
| 19Surely even now my witness is in heaven, And my evidence is on high. | 19Even now my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high. |
| 20My friends scorn me; My eyes pour out tears to God. | 20My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God. |
| 21Oh, that one might plead for a man with God, As a man pleads for his neighbor! | 21Oh, that a man might plead with God as he pleads with his neighbor! |
| 22For when a few years are finished, I shall go the way of no return. | 22For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return. |
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