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Troublesome Comforters

16 Then Job answered and said,

“I have heard many such things;
[a](A)Troublesome comforters are you all.
Is there no end to (B)windy words?
Or what pains you that you answer?
I too could speak like you,
If your soul were in the place of my soul.
I could compose words against you
And (C)shake my head at you.
I could encourage you with my mouth,
And the solace of my lips could lessen your pain.

“If I speak, (D)my pain is not lessened,
And if I cease, what will go forth from me?

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Footnotes

  1. Job 16:2 Lit Comforters of trouble

Round Two: Job’s First Speech

16 Job responded:

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

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.
But instead, I would build you up with the words from my mouth,
and comforting words from my lips would ease your pain.
Now if I speak up, it does not lessen my pain,
and if I hold back, how much of my pain goes away?

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