Study Desk

Now when Job's three friends heard about all this adversity that had come upon him, they came, each one from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him.

Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

With kings and counselors of the earth, Who rebuilt ruins for themselves;

Or with rulers who had gold, Who were filling their houses with silver.

"Why is light given to one burdened with grief, And life to the bitter of soul,

Who are filled with jubilation, And rejoice when they find the grave?

"If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient? But who can refrain from speaking?

"By day they meet with darkness, And grope at noon as in the night.

"For you will be in league with the stones of the field, And the animals of the field will be at peace with you.

"Oh if only my grief were actually weighed And laid in the balances together with my disaster!

"My flesh is clothed with maggots and a crust of dirt, My skin hardens and oozes.

Then You frighten me with dreams, And terrify me by visions,

"He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, And your lips with joyful shouting.

"Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, And the tent of the wicked will no longer exist."

"In truth I know that this is so; But how can a person be in the right with God?

"If one wished to dispute with Him, He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.

"For He bruises me with a storm And multiplies my wounds without cause.

"He will not allow me to get my breath, But He saturates me with bitterness.

"If I washed myself with snow, And cleansed my hands with lye,

"I am disgusted with my own life; I will express my complaint freely; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.