Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Living Translation NLT
1 Then Job answered, and said:
1
Then Job spoke again:
2 I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters.
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“I have heard all this before. What miserable comforters you are!
3 Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak?
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Won’t you ever stop blowing hot air? What makes you keep on talking?
4 I also could speak like you: and would God your soul were for my soul. (16-5) I would comfort you also with words, and would wag my head over you.
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I could say the same things if you were in my place. I could spout off criticism and shake my head at you.
5 (16-6) I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as sparing you.
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But if it were me, I would encourage you. I would try to take away your grief.
6 (16-7) But what shall I do? If I speak, my pain will not rest: and if I hold my peace, it will not depart from me.
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Instead, I suffer if I defend myself, and I suffer no less if I refuse to speak.
7 (16-8) But now my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing.
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“O God, you have ground me down and devastated my family.
8 (16-9) My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting me.
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As if to prove I have sinned, you’ve reduced me to skin and bones. My gaunt flesh testifies against me.
9 (16-10) He hath gathered together his fury against me, and threatening me he hath gnashed with his teeth upon me: my enemy hath beheld me with terrible eyes.
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God hates me and angrily tears me apart. He snaps his teeth at me and pierces me with his eyes.
10 (16-11) They have opened their mouths upon me, and reproaching me they have struck me on the cheek, they are filled with my pains.
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People jeer and laugh at me. They slap my cheek in contempt. A mob gathers against me.
11 (16-12) God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked.
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God has handed me over to sinners. He has tossed me into the hands of the wicked.
12 (16-13) I that was formerly so wealthy, am all on a sudden broken to pieces: he hath taken me by my neck, he hath broken me, and hath set me up to be his mark.
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“I was living quietly until he shattered me. He took me by the neck and broke me in pieces. Then he set me up as his target,
13 (16-14) He hath compassed me round about with his lances, he hath wounded my loins, he hath not spared, and hath poured out my bowels on the earth,
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and now his archers surround me. His arrows pierce me without mercy. The ground is wet with my blood.
14 (16-15) He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant.
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Again and again he smashes against me, charging at me like a warrior.
15 (16-16) I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.
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I wear burlap to show my grief. My pride lies in the dust.
16 (16-17) My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.
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My eyes are red with weeping; dark shadows circle my eyes.
17 (16-18) These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God.
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Yet I have done no wrong, and my prayer is pure.
18 (16-19) O earth, cover not thou my blood, neither let my cry find a hiding place in thee.
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“O earth, do not conceal my blood. Let it cry out on my behalf.
19 (16-20) For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.
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Even now my witness is in heaven. My advocate is there on high.
20 (16-21) My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God.
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My friends scorn me, but I pour out my tears to God.
21 (16-22) And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!
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I need someone to mediate between God and me, as a person mediates between friends.
22 (16-23) For behold short years pass away, and I am walking in a path by which I shall not return.
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For soon I must go down that road from which I will never return.