Job's Fifth Speech
4 I also, like you, might speak, If your soul were in my soul's stead. I might join against you with words, And nod at you with my head.
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 I might harden you with my mouth, And the moving of my lips might be sparing.
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 If I speak, my pain is not restrained, And I cease -- what goeth from me?
6 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?
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?"
8 And Thou dost loathe me, For a witness it hath been, And rise up against me doth my failure, In my face it testifieth.
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 His anger hath torn, and he hateth me, He hath gnashed at me with his teeth, My adversary sharpeneth his eyes for 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 on me with their mouth, In reproach they have smitten my cheeks, Together against me they set themselves.
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 shutteth me up unto the perverse, And to the hands of the wicked turneth me over.
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 has delivered me over to the ungodly, throwing me into the control of the wicked.
Everything Was Going Well
12 At ease I have been, and he breaketh me, And he hath laid hold on my neck, And he breaketh me in pieces, And he raiseth me to him for a 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 Go round against me do his archers. He splitteth my reins, and spareth not, He poureth out to the earth my gall.
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 surround me, slashing open my kidneys without pity; he pours out my gall on the ground.
Job Appeals His Case To Heaven
18 O earth, do not thou cover my blood! And let there not be a place for my cry.
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 "Listen, earth! Don't cover my blood, for my outcry has no place to rest.
21 And he reasoneth for a man with God, And a son of man for his friend.
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 crying for him to arbitrate between this man and God; as a human being does with his fellow neighbor.
22 When a few years do come, Then a path I return not do I go.
22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not 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."