Job 16
1 Then Job answered:
But Job answered and said,
2 “I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all.
I have heard many such things: poor comforters are you all.
3 Is there no end to your long-winded speeches? What provokes you to continue testifying?
What! is there any reason in vain words? or what will hinder you from answering?
4 I could also speak like you if you were in my place; I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you.
I also will speak as you [do]: if indeed your soul were in my [soul's] stead, then would I insult you with words, and I would shake my head at you.
5 But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would bring relief.
And would there were strength in my mouth, and I would not spare the movement of my lips.
6 Even if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I hold back, how will it go away?
For if I should speak, I shall not feel the pain of my wound: and if I should be silent, how shall I be wounded the less?
7 Surely He has now exhausted me; You have devastated all my family.
But now he has made me weary, and a worn-out fool; and you have laid hold of me.
8 You have bound me, and it has become a witness; my frailty rises up and testifies against me.
My falsehood has become a testimony, and has risen up against me: it has confronted me to my face.
9 His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes.
In his anger he has cast me down; he has gnashed his teeth upon me: the weapons of his robbers have fallen upon me.
10 They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me.
He has attacked me with the keen glances of his eyes; with his sharp [spear] he has struck me [down] upon my knees; and they have run upon me with one accord.
11 God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked.
For the Lord has delivered me into the hands of unrighteous men, and thrown me upon the ungodly.
12 I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target;
When I was at peace he distracted me: he took me by the hair of the head, and plucked it out: he set me up as a mark.
13 His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and spills my gall on the ground.
They surrounded me with spears, aiming at my reins: without sparing [me] they poured out my gall upon the ground.
14 He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a mighty warrior.
They overthrew me with fall upon fall: they ran upon me in [their] might.
15 I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my horn in the dust.
They sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and my strength has been spent on the ground.
16 My face is red with weeping, and deep shadows ring my eyes;
My belly has been parched with wailing, and darkness is on my eyelids.
17 yet my hands are free of violence and my prayer is pure.
Yet there was no injustice in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
18 O earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help never be laid to rest.
Earth, cover not over the blood of my flesh, and let my cry have no place.
19 Even now my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high.
And now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high.
20 My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God.
Let my supplication come to the Lord, and let mine eye weep before him.
21 Oh, that a man might plead with God as he pleads with his neighbor!
Oh that a man might plead before the Lord, even [as] the son of man with his neighbour!
22 For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return.
But my years are numbered and [their end] come, and I shall go by the way by which I shall not return.
