<p class="poetry">Your words have supported<n id="1" /> thosep> <p class="poetry">who stumbled,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and you have strengthened the kneesp> <p class="poetry">that gave way.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Do you intend to criticize mere words,p> <p class="poetry">and treat<n id="1" /> the words of a despairing man as wind?p>

<p class="poetry">Listen carefully<n id="1" /> to my words;p> <p class="poetry">let your ears be attentive to my explanation.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;How long will you torment me<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and crush<n id="2" /> me with your words?<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;Listen carefully<n id="1" /> to my words;p> <p class="poetry">let this be<n id="2" /> the consolation you offer me.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">the chief men refrained from talkingp> <p class="poetry">and covered their mouths with their hands;p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;And now I have become their taunt song;p> <p class="poetry">I have become a byword<n id="1" /> among them.p>

<p class="poetry">For I am full of words,p> <p class="poetry">and the spirit within me<n id="1" /> constrains me.<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;Indeed, you have said in my hearing<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">(I heard the sound of the words!):p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;Listen to my words, you wise men;p> <p class="poetry">hear<n id="1" /> me, you learned men.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">I<n id="1" /> will reply to you,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and to your friends with you.p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;If someone<n id="1" /> should attempt<n id="2" /> a word with you,p> <p class="poetry">will you be impatient?<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">But who can refrain from speaking<n id="4" />?p>

<p class="poetry">Will they not<n id="1" /> instruct you and<n id="2" /> speak to you,p> <p class="poetry">and bring forth words<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">from their understanding?<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Does not the ear test words,p> <p class="poetry">as<n id="1" /> the tongue<n id="2" /> tastes food?<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Does he argue<n id="1" /> with useless<n id="2" /> talk,p> <p class="poetry">with words that have no value in them?p>

<p class="poetry">when you turn your rage<n id="1" /> against Godp> <p class="poetry">and allow such words to escape<n id="2" /> from your mouth?p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;How long until you<n id="1" /> make an end of words?<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">You must consider,<n id="3" /> and then<n id="4" /> we can talk.p>

<p class="poetry">I would know with what words<n id="1" /> he would answer me,p> <p class="poetry">and understand what he would say to me.p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;If this is not so, who can prove me a liarp> <p class="poetry">and reduce my words to nothing?&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">To whom<n id="1" /> did you utter these words?p> <p class="poetry">And whose spirit has come forth from your mouth?<n id="2" />p>