Job 16
1 Then Job answered,
Then responded Job, and said: —
2 “I have heard many such things. You are all miserable comforters!
I have heard many such things, Wearisome comforters, are ye all!
3 Shall vain words have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer?
Is there to be an end to windy words? Or what so strongly exciteth thee, that thou must respond?
4 I also could speak as you do. If your soul were in my soul’s place, I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you,
I also, like you, could speak, —If your soul were in the place of my soul, I could string together words against you, and could therewith shake over you my head.
5 but I would strengthen you with my mouth. The solace of my lips would relieve you.
I could make you determined, by my mouth, and then my lip-solace should restrain you.
6 “Though I speak, my grief is not subsided. Though I forbear, what am I eased?
Though I do speak, unassuaged is my stinging pain, —And, if I forbear, of what am I relieved?
7 But now, God, you have surely worn me out. You have made all my company desolate.
But, now, hath he wearied me, thou hast destroyed all my family;
8 You have shriveled me up. This is a witness against me. My leanness rises up against me. It testifies to my face.
And, having captured me, it hath served, as a witness; and so my wasting away hath risen up against me, in my face, it answereth.
9 He has torn me in his wrath and persecuted me. He has gnashed on me with his teeth. My adversary sharpens his eyes on me.
His anger, hath torn and persecuted me, He hath gnashed upon me with his teeth, Mine adversary, hath sharpened his eyes for me.
10 They have gaped on me with their mouth. They have struck me on the cheek reproachfully. They gather themselves together against me.
They have gaped upon me with their mouth, With reproach, have they smitten my cheek, Together, against me, have they closed their ranks.
11 God delivers me to the ungodly, and casts me into the hands of the wicked.
GOD doth abandon me to him that is perverse, and, into the hands of the lawless, he throweth me headlong.
12 I was at ease, and he broke me apart. Yes, he has taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces. He has also set me up for his target.
At ease, was I when he shattered me, Yea he seized me by my neck, and dashed me in pieces, then set me up for himself as a mark:
13 His archers surround me. He splits my kidneys apart, and does not spare. He pours out my bile on the ground.
His archers came round against me, He clave asunder my reins, and spared not, He poured out, on the earth, my gall:
14 He breaks me with breach on breach. He runs at me like a giant.
He made a breach in me, breach upon breach, He ran upon me, like a mighty man.
15 I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and have thrust my horn in the dust.
Sackcloth, sewed I on my skin, and rolled—in the dust—my horn:
16 My face is red with weeping. Deep darkness is on my eyelids,
My face, is reddened from weeping, and, upon mine eyelashes, is the death-shade: —
17 although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
Though no violence was in my hands, and, my prayer, was pure.
18 “Earth, do not cover my blood. Let my cry have no place to rest.
O earth! do not cover my blood, and let there be no place for mine outcry.
19 Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven. He who vouches for me is on high.
Even now, lo! in the heavens, is my witness,
20 My friends scoff at me. My eyes pour out tears to God,
And, he that voucheth for me is on high. My friends are, they who scorn me, Unto GOD, hath mine eye shed tears: —
21 that he would maintain the right of a man with God, of a son of man with his neighbor!
That one might plead, for a man, with GOD, —Even a son of man, for his friend!
22 For when a few years have come, I will go the way of no return.
When, a few years, come, then, by a path by which I shall not return, shall I depart.
