But Iob aunswered, and sayde:

O that my complaynt were truely wayed, and my punishment layde in the balaunces together:

For nowe it woulde be heauier then the sande of the sea: and this is the cause, that my wordes fayle me.

For the arrowes of the almightie are vpon me, the poyson therof hath drunke vp my spirite, and the terrible feares of God are set against me.

Doth the wild asse rore when he hath grasse? or loweth the oxe when he hath fodder inough

That which is vnsauerie, shall it be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the whyte of an egge?

The thinges that sometime I might not away withel, are nowe my meate for very sorowe.

O that I might haue my desire, and that God woulde graunt me the thing that I long for:

O that God would begin and smite me, that he would let his hand go and take me cleane away:

Then shoulde I haue some comfort, yea I woulde desire him in my payne that he would not spare, for I wil not be against the wordes of the holy one.

For what powre haue I to endure? And what is myne end, that my soule might be patient?

Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my fleshe of brasse?

Is it not so that there is in me no helpe? & that my substaunce is taken from me?

He that is in tribulation, ought to be comforted of his neyghbour: but the feare of the almightie is cleane away.

Myne owne brethren passe ouer by me as the water brooke, & as the ouerflowing of waters, whiche do hastly go away,

Whiche are blackish be reason of the ice, and wherin the snowe is hyd.

Which when they haue passed by do vanishe, and when the heate commeth they fayle out of their place.

They depart from the course of their wonted chanell to other places, they runne in vayne and perishe.

They that went to The man considered them, and they that went to Saba wayted for them.

But they were confounded in their hope, they came thyther and were ashamed.

Euen such truely are ye, nowe that ye see my miserie ye are afrayde.

Did I desire you to bring vnto me, or to geue me any of your substaunce?

To deliuer me from the enemies hand, or to saue me from the hande of the tyrauntes?

Teache me, and I will hold my tong: and wherin I haue erred; cause me to vnderstande.

How strong are the wordes of trueth? and which of you can rebuke or reproue them?

Do ye imagine to reproue wordes, that the talke of the afflicted shoulde be as the winde?

Ye fall vpon the fatherlesse, and digge a pit to ouerthrowe your owne frende.

And therfore be content, & loke now vpon me, and I will not lye before your face.

Turne I pray you, be indifferent iudges: turne agayne, and ye shall see myne vngiltinesse,

whether there be any vnrighteousnes in my tongue, or vayne wordes in my mouth.