1Job replied,

2“I've heard all this before. You are comforters who just cause trouble! ⁸⁶

3Will your windy speeches never cease? ⁸⁷What's bothering you that you have to answer me?

4I could talk like you do if you were in my place, stringing words together to criticize you, ridiculing you with a toss of my head.

5I could build you up by my mouth speaking words; the movement of my lips would ease your pain. ⁸⁸

6For me, if I speak it doesn't ease my pain, and if I don't speak the pain is still there.

7God, ⁸⁹you have worn me out. You have destroyed my whole family.

8You have made me shrivel up, which is a witness against me; my thin body testifies against me. ⁹⁰

9He has torn me apart in his anger; in his hostility he has gnashed his teeth at me; my enemy pierces me with his fierce look.

10People stare at me with their mouths wide open, they slap me on my cheeks to mock me, they crowd around me to attack me.

11God has handed me over to evil people; he has thrown me into their hands.

12I was living in peace and he smashed me to pieces. He grabbed me by the neck and dashed me to pieces. He set me up as his target.

13His archers surround me. His arrows pierce my kidneys without mercy. He pours out my gall on the ground.

14Like a wall he breaks me down, breach upon breach, rushing at me like a warrior.

15I have sown sackcloth ⁹¹to cover my skin; my strength lies broken in the dust. ⁹²

16My face is red from crying and dark shadows surround my eyes,

17although I have done nothing wrong ⁹³and my prayer is pure.

18Earth, do not cover up my blood. May my cry find no place to hide.

19Look, right now my witness is in heaven; the one who speaks for me is on high.

20My friends scorn me, but my eyes pour out tears to God.

21I want my witness to speak for me with God as someone does for their friend.

22For in a few short years I shall go down that road from which I shall not return.”