² I have heard many things just like these.
You are miserable comforters, all of you!
³ Is there any end to your windy words?
What provokes you to respond like this?

⁴ I also could speak just like you,
if your lives were in the same condition that my life is.
I could weave fancy words against you
and shake my head at you.
⁵ But instead, I would build you up with the words from my mouth,
and comforting words from my lips would ease your pain.
⁶ Now if I speak up, it does not lessen my pain,
and if I hold back, how much of my pain goes away?

⁷ Surely, he^[a] has worn me out!
You have devastated everyone close to me.
⁸ You have made me shrivel up,^[b]
and this testifies against me.
My emaciated body stands up
and is a witness against me.
⁹ His anger has torn me.
He has been hostile to me.
He has gnashed his teeth at me.
My opponent glares at me with piercing eyes.
¹⁰ People have opened their mouths wide against me.
They have slapped my face with contempt.
They have ganged up on me.
¹¹ God hands me over to evil people.^[c]
He throws me into the hands of the wicked.
¹² When I was at ease, he shattered me.^[d]
He seized me by the neck and has ripped me to pieces.
He has set me up as his target.
¹³ His archers surround me.
He pierces my kidneys and has no pity.
He pours out my bile on the earth.
¹⁴ He breaks down my walls in many places.
He runs against me like a warrior.
¹⁵ I have stitched sackcloth to my skin.
My horn^[e] is stuck in the dust.
¹⁶ My face is red from my weeping.
There are dark circles under my eyes,
¹⁷ even though there is no violence in my hands,
and my prayer is pure.
¹⁸ O earth, do not cover my blood.
Let my cry never find a place to rest.
¹⁹ Even now, my witness is in heaven.
My advocate is on high.
²⁰ My intercessor is my friend.
My eyes never stop weeping to God.
²¹ My intercessor pleads with God for a man,
as another human pleads for his friend.
²² A few more years will come.
Then I will go the way of no return.