GOD'S WORD Translation GW
New King James Version NKJV
1 Then Job replied [to his friends],
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Then Job answered and said:
2 "I have heard many things like this before. You are all pathetic at comforting me.
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"I have heard many such things; Miserable comforters are you all!
3 Will [your] long-winded speeches never end? What disturbs you that you keep on answering [me]?
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Shall words of wind have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer?
4 I, too, could speak like you if we could trade places. I could string words together against you and shake my head at you.
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I 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;
5 I could encourage you with my mouth, and my quivering lips could ease [your pain].
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But I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.
6 If I speak, my pain is not eased. If I stop talking, how much of it will go away?
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"Though I speak, my grief is not relieved; And if I remain silent, how am I eased?
7 "But now, God has worn me out. You, [God,] have destroyed everyone who supports me.
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But now He has worn me out; You have made desolate all my company.
8 You have shriveled me up, which itself is a witness [against me]. My frail body rises up and testifies against me.
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You have shriveled me up, And it is a witness against me; My leanness rises up against me And bears witness to my face.
9 "God's anger tore me [apart] and attacked me. He gritted his teeth at me. My opponent looked sharply at me.
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He tears me in His wrath, and hates me; He gnashes at me with His teeth; My adversary sharpens His gaze on me.
10 People gaped at me with wide-open mouths. In scorn they slapped my cheeks. They united against me.
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They gape at me with their mouth, They strike me reproachfully on the cheek, They gather together against me.
11 God handed me over to unjust people and threw me into the hands of wicked people.
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God has delivered me to the ungodly, And turned me over to the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, and he shattered me. He grabbed me by the back of the neck and smashed [my skull]. He set me up as his target,
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I 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,
13 and his archers surrounded me. He slashes open my kidneys without mercy and spills my blood on the ground.
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His archers surround me. He pierces my heart and does not pity; He pours out my gall on the ground.
14 He inflicts wound after wound on me. He lunges at me like a warrior.
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He breaks me with wound upon wound; He runs at me like a warrior.
15 "I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, and I have thrown my strength in the dust.
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"I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, And laid my head in the dust.
16 My face is red from crying, and dark shadows encircle my eyes,
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My face is flushed from weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
17 although my hands have done nothing violent, and my prayer is sincere.
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Although no violence is in my hands, And my prayer is pure.
18 "Earth, don't cover my blood. Don't ever let my cry [for justice] be stopped.
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"O earth, do not cover my blood, And let my cry have no resting place!
19 Even now, look! My witness is in heaven, and the one who testifies for me is above,
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Surely even now my witness is in heaven, And my evidence is on high.
20 the spokesman for my thoughts. My eyes drip [with tears] to God
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My friends scorn me; My eyes pour out tears to God.
21 [16:22] because in a few short years I will take the path of no return.
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Oh, that one might plead for a man with God, As a man pleads for his neighbor!
22 [16:21] But my witness will plead for a human in front of God. The Son of Man will plead for his friend!
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For when a few years are finished, I shall go the way of no return.