² “How long will you torment^(A) me
    and crush^(B) me with words?
³ Ten times^(C) now you have reproached^(D) me;
    shamelessly you attack me.
⁴ If it is true that I have gone astray,
    my error^(E) remains my concern alone.
⁵ If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me^(F)
    and use my humiliation against me,
⁶ then know that God has wronged me^(G)
    and drawn his net^(H) around me.^(I)

⁷ “Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response;^(J)
    though I call for help,^(K) there is no justice.^(L)
8 He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;^(M)
    he has shrouded my paths in darkness.^(N)
9 He has stripped^(O) me of my honor^(P)
    and removed the crown from my head.^(Q)
10 He tears me down^(R) on every side till I am gone;
    he uproots my hope^(S) like a tree.^(T)
11 His anger^(U) burns against me;
    he counts me among his enemies.^(V)
12 His troops advance in force;^(W)
    they build a siege ramp^(X) against me
    and encamp around my tent.^(Y)

¹³ “He has alienated my family^(Z) from me;
    my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.^(AA)
14 My relatives have gone away;
    my closest friends^(AB) have forgotten me.
¹⁵ My guests^(AC) and my female servants^(AD) count me a foreigner;
    they look on me as on a stranger.
¹⁶ I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
    though I beg him with my own mouth.
¹⁷ My breath is offensive to my wife;
    I am loathsome^(AE) to my own family.
¹⁸ Even the little boys^(AF) scorn me;
    when I appear, they ridicule me.^(AG)
19 All my intimate friends^(AH) detest me;^(AI)
    those I love have turned against me.^(AJ)
20 I am nothing but skin and bones;^(AK)
    I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.^[a]

²¹ “Have pity on me, my friends,^(AL) have pity,
    for the hand of God has struck^(AM) me.
²² Why do you pursue^(AN) me as God does?^(AO)
    Will you never get enough of my flesh?^(AP)

²³ “Oh, that my words were recorded,
    that they were written on a scroll,^(AQ)
24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool^(AR) on^[b] lead,
    or engraved in rock forever!^(AS)
25 I know that my redeemer^[c](AT) lives,^(AU)
    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.^[d]
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
    yet^[e] in^[f] my flesh I will see God;^(AV)
27 I myself will see him
    with my own eyes^(AW)—I, and not another.
    How my heart yearns^(AX) within me!

²⁸ “If you say, ‘How we will hound^(AY) him,
    since the root of the trouble lies in him,^[g]’
²⁹ you should fear the sword yourselves;
    for wrath will bring punishment by the sword,^(AZ)
    and then you will know that there is judgment.^[h]”^(BA)

² “My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer
    because I am greatly disturbed.^(BC)
3 I hear a rebuke^(BD) that dishonors me,
    and my understanding inspires me to reply.

⁴ “Surely you know how it has been from of old,^(BE)
    ever since mankind^[i] was placed on the earth,
⁵ that the mirth of the wicked^(BF) is brief,
    the joy of the godless^(BG) lasts but a moment.^(BH)
6 Though the pride^(BI) of the godless person reaches to the heavens^(BJ)
    and his head touches the clouds,^(BK)
7 he will perish forever,^(BL) like his own dung;
    those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’^(BM)
8 Like a dream^(BN) he flies away,^(BO) no more to be found,
    banished^(BP) like a vision of the night.^(BQ)
9 The eye that saw him will not see him again;
    his place will look on him no more.^(BR)
10 His children^(BS) must make amends to the poor;
    his own hands must give back his wealth.^(BT)
11 The youthful vigor^(BU) that fills his bones^(BV)
    will lie with him in the dust.^(BW)

¹² “Though evil^(BX) is sweet in his mouth
    and he hides it under his tongue,^(BY)
13 though he cannot bear to let it go
    and lets it linger in his mouth,^(BZ)
14 yet his food will turn sour in his stomach;^(CA)
    it will become the venom of serpents^(CB) within him.
¹⁵ He will spit out the riches^(CC) he swallowed;
    God will make his stomach vomit^(CD) them up.
¹⁶ He will suck the poison^(CE) of serpents;
    the fangs of an adder will kill him.^(CF)
17 He will not enjoy the streams,
    the rivers^(CG) flowing with honey^(CH) and cream.^(CI)
18 What he toiled for he must give back uneaten;^(CJ)
    he will not enjoy the profit from his trading.^(CK)
19 For he has oppressed the poor^(CL) and left them destitute;^(CM)
    he has seized houses^(CN) he did not build.

²⁰ “Surely he will have no respite from his craving;^(CO)
    he cannot save himself by his treasure.^(CP)
21 Nothing is left for him to devour;
    his prosperity will not endure.^(CQ)
22 In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him;^(CR)
    the full force of misery will come upon him.^(CS)
23 When he has filled his belly,^(CT)
    God will vent his burning anger^(CU) against him
    and rain down his blows on him.^(CV)
24 Though he flees^(CW) from an iron weapon,
    a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him.^(CX)
25 He pulls it out of his back,
    the gleaming point out of his liver.
Terrors^(CY) will come over him;^(CZ)
26     total darkness^(DA) lies in wait for his treasures.
A fire^(DB) unfanned will consume him^(DC)
    and devour what is left in his tent.^(DD)
27 The heavens will expose his guilt;
    the earth will rise up against him.^(DE)
28 A flood will carry off his house,^(DF)
    rushing waters^[j] on the day of God’s wrath.^(DG)
29 Such is the fate God allots the wicked,
    the heritage appointed for them by God.”^(DH)