² I have heard many such things:
^[a]Miserable comforters are ye all.
³ Shall ^[b]vain words have an end?
Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?
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.
⁵ But I would strengthen you with my mouth,
And the solace of my lips would assuage your grief.

⁶ Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged;
And though I forbear, ^[c]what am I eased?
⁷ But now he hath made me weary:
Thou hast made desolate all my company.
⁸ And thou hast ^[d]laid fast hold on me, which is a witness against me:
And my leanness riseth up against me,
It testifieth to my face.
⁹ He hath torn me in his wrath, and ^[e]persecuted me;
He hath gnashed upon me with his teeth:
Mine adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
¹⁰ They have gaped upon me with their mouth;
They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully:
They gather themselves together against me.
¹¹ God delivereth me to the ungodly,
And casteth me into the hands of the wicked.
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.
¹³ His ^[f]archers compass me round about;
He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare;
He poureth out my gall upon the ground.
¹⁴ He breaketh me with breach upon breach;
He runneth upon me like a ^[g]giant.
¹⁵ I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin,
And have ^[h]laid my horn in the dust.
¹⁶ My face is red with weeping,
And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
¹⁷ Although there is no violence in my hands,
And my prayer is pure.

¹⁸ O earth, cover not thou my blood,
And let my cry ^[i]have no resting-place.
¹⁹ Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven,
And he that voucheth for me is on high.
²⁰ My friends scoff at me:
But mine eye poureth out tears unto God,
^21 [j]That he would maintain the right of a man with God,
And of a son of man with his neighbor!
²² For when a few years are come,
I shall go the way whence I shall not return.