Study Desk

Then Job responded,

"I have heard many things like these; ^(F1)(C1)Miserable comforters are you all!

-"Is there no end to ^(C1)windy words? Or what provokes you that you answer?

-"I too could speak like you, If only ^(F1)I were in your place. I could compose words against you And ^(C1)shake my head at you.

-"Or I could strengthen you with my mouth, And the condolence of my lips could lessen your pain.

"If I speak, ^(C1)my pain is not lessened, And if I refrain, what pain leaves me?

-"But now He has ^(C1)exhausted me; You have laid ^(C2)waste all my group of loved ones.

-"And You have shriveled me up, ^(F1)(C1)It has become a witness; And my ^(C2)infirmity rises up against me, It testifies to my face.

-"His anger has ^(C1)torn me and ^(F1)hunted me down, He has ^(C2)gnashed at me with His teeth; My ^(C3)enemy ^(F2)glares at me.

-"They have ^(C1)gaped at me with their mouths, They have ^(F1)(C2)slapped me on the cheek with contempt; They have ^(C3)massed themselves against me.

-"God hands me over to criminals, And tosses me into the hands of the wicked.

-"I was at ease, but ^(C1)He shattered me, And He has grasped me by my neck and shaken me to pieces; He has also set me up as His ^(C2)target.

-"His ^(C1)arrows surround me. He splits my kidneys open without mercy; He pours out ^(C2)my bile on the ground.

-"He ^(C1)breaks through me with breach after breach; He ^(C2)runs at me like a warrior.

-"I have sewed ^(C1)sackcloth over my skin, And ^(C2)thrust my horn in the dust.

-"My face is flushed from ^(C1)weeping, ^(C2)And deep darkness is on my eyelids,

Although there is no ^(C1)violence in my hands, And ^(C2)my prayer is pure.

"Earth, do not cover my blood, And may there be no resting place for my cry.

-"Even now, behold, ^(C1)my witness is in heaven, And my ^(F1)advocate is ^(C2)on high.

-"My friends are my scoffers; ^(C1)My eye weeps to God,

That one might plead for a man with God As a son of man with his neighbor!

-"For when a few years are past, I shall go the way ^(C1)of no return.