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- Then Job answered and said:
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- I have heard many such things;
sorry comforters are ye all.
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- Shall windy words have an end?
Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?
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- 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.
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- I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips would assuage your grief.
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- Though I speak, my pain is not assuaged;
and though I forbear, what am I eased?
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- But now He hath made me weary;
Thou hast made desolate all my company.
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- And Thou hast shrivelled me up, which is a witness against me;
and my leanness riseth up against me, it testifieth to my face.
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- He hath torn me in His wrath, and hated me;
He hath gnashed upon me with His teeth;
mine adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
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- They have gaped upon me with their mouth;
they have smitten me upon the cheek scornfully;
they gather themselves together against me.
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- God delivereth me to the ungodly, and casteth me into the hands of the wicked.
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- I was at ease, and He broke me asunder;
yea, He hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces;
He hath also set me up for His mark.
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- His archers compass me round about, He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare;
He poureth out my gall upon the ground.
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- He breaketh me with breach upon breach;
He runneth upon me like a giant.
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- I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and have laid my horn in the dust.
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- My face is reddened with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
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- Although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
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- O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no resting-place.
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- Even now, behold, my Witness is in heaven, and He that testifieth of me is on high.
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- Mine inward thoughts are my intercessors, mine eye poureth out tears unto God;
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- That He would set aright a man contending with God, as a son of man setteth aright his neighbour!
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- For the years that are few are coming on, and I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
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