Job's Fifth Speech

1 Then Job answered and said,

1 Then Job answered and said,

1 Then Job (a)answered,

1 Then Job answered:

1 In response, Job said:

2 I have heard many such things: Miserable comforters are ye all.

2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

2 “I have heard many such things;(b)(A)Sorry comforters are you all.

2 I have heard many things like these.You are all miserable comforters.(A)

2 "I've heard many things like this. What miserable comforters you all are!

3 Shall vain words have an end? Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?

3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

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

3 Is there no end to your empty(a)(B) words?What provokes you that you continue testifying?

3 Will windy words like yours never end? What is upsetting you that you keep on arguing?

4 I also could speak as ye do; If your soul were in my soul's stead, I could join words together against you, And shake my head at you.

4 I 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.

4 “I too could speak like you,If (c)I were in your place.I could compose words against youAnd (C)shake my head at you.

4 If you were in my place I could also talk like you.I could string words together against youand shake my head at you.

4 "I could also talk like you if only you were in my place! Then I would put together an argument against you. I would shake my head at you

5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the solace of my lips would assuage your grief .

5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

5 “I could strengthen you with my mouth,And the solace of my lips could lessen your pain.

5 Instead, I would encourage you with my mouth,and the consolation from my lips would bring relief.(C)

5 and encourage you with what I have to say; my words of comfort would lessen your pain.

6 Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged; And though I forbear, what am I eased?

6 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?

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

6 Even if I speak, my suffering is not relieved,and if I hold back, what have I lost?

6 "But if I speak, my pain isn't assuaged; if I refrain from speaking, what do I have to lose?"

7 But now he hath made me weary: Thou hast made desolate all my company.

7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.

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

7 Surely He(b) has now exhausted me.You have devastated my entire family.

7 "God has certainly worn me out; you devastated my entire world.

8 And thou hast laid fast hold on me, which is a witness against me : And my leanness riseth up against me, It testifieth to my face.

8 And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.

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

8 You have shriveled me up(c)—it has become a witness;My frailty rises up against me and testifies to my face.

8 You've arrested me, making me testify against myself! My leanness rises up to attack me, accusing me to my face.

Job Describes What God Has Done To Him

9 He hath torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me; He hath gnashed upon me with his teeth: Mine adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

9 He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

9 “His anger has (I)torn me and (d)hunted me down,He has (J)gnashed at me with His teeth;My (K)adversary (e)glares at me.

9 His anger tears at me, and He harasses(D) me.He gnashes His teeth at me.My enemy pierces me with His eyes.

9 His anger tears me in his persistent resentment against me; he gnashes his teeth at me. My adversary glares at me.

10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully: They gather themselves together against me.

10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

10 “They have (L)gaped at me with their mouth,They have (f)(M)slapped me on the cheek with contempt;They have (N)massed themselves against me.

10 They open their mouths against meand strike my cheeks with contempt;(E)they join themselves together against me.

10 People gaped at me with mouths wide open; they slap me in their scorn and gather together against me.

11 God delivereth me to the ungodly, And casteth me into the hands of the wicked.

11 God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

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

11 God hands me over to unjust men;(d)He throws me into the hands of the wicked.

11 God has delivered me over to the ungodly, throwing me into the control of the wicked.

Everything Was Going Well

12 I was at ease, and he brake me asunder; Yea, he hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces: He hath also set me up for his mark.

12 I 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.

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

12 I was at ease, but He shattered me;He seized me by the scruff of the neckand smashed me to pieces.He set me up as His target;(F)

12 "He tore me apart when I was at ease; grabbing me by my neck, he shook me to pieces then he really made me his target.

13 His archers compass me round about; He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; He poureth out my gall upon the ground.

13 His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.

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

13 His archers(e) surround me.He pierces my kidneys without mercyand pours my bile on the ground.

13 His archers surround me, slashing open my kidneys without pity; he pours out my gall on the ground.

14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach; He runneth upon me like a giant.

14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.

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

14 He breaks through my defenses again and again;(f)He charges at me like a warrior.(G)

14 Attack follows attack as he breaks through my defenses! He runs over me like a mighty warrior.

15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, And have laid my horn in the dust.

15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.

15 “I have sewed (U)sackcloth over my skinAnd (V)thrust my horn in the dust.

15 I have sewn sackcloth over my skin;I have buried my strength(g) in the dust.(H)

15 "I've even sewn sackcloth directly to my skin; I've buried my strength in the dust.

16 My face is red with weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

16 “My face is flushed from (W)weeping,(X)And deep darkness is on my eyelids,

16 My face has grown red with weeping,and darkness(I) covers my eyes,

16 My face is red from my tears, and dark shadows encircle my eyelids,

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

17 Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.

17 Although there is no (Y)violence in my hands,And (Z)my prayer is pure.

17 although my hands are free from violence(J)and my prayer is pure.

17 even though violence is not my intention, and my prayer is pure."

Job Appeals His Case To Heaven

18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, And let my cry have no resting -place.

18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

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

18 Earth, do not cover my blood;may my cry for help find no resting place.(K)

18 "Listen, earth! Don't cover my blood, for my outcry has no place to rest.

19 Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And he that voucheth for me is on high.

19 Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.

19 “Even now, behold, (AA)my witness is in heaven,And my (g)advocate is (AB)on high.

19 Even now my witness is in heaven,and my advocate is in the heights!(L)

19 Even now, behold! I have a witness in heaven, my Advocate is on high.

20 My friends scoff at me: But mine eye poureth out tears unto God,

20 My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

20 “My friends are my scoffers;(AC)My eye (h)weeps to God.

20 My friends scoff at meas I weep before God.

20 My friends mock me, while my eyes overflow with tears to God,

21 That he would maintain the right of a man with God, And of a son of man with his neighbor!

21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

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

21 I wish that someone might arbitratebetween a man and God(M)just as a man pleads for his friend.

21 crying for him to arbitrate between this man and God; as a human being does with his fellow neighbor.

22 For when a few years are come, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

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

22 For only a few years will passbefore I go the way of no return. >

22 For when only a few years have elapsed, I'll start down a path from which I'll never return."

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Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

King James Version Public Domain

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