Job 16
1 Then Job answered:
And Job answered and said,
2 “I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all.
I have heard many such things: grievous comforters are ye all.
3 Is there no end to your long-winded speeches? What provokes you to continue testifying?
Shall words of wind have an end? or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?
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 could speak as ye: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could join together words against you, and shake my head at you;
5 But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would bring relief.
[But] I would encourage you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips should assuage [your pain].
6 Even if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I hold back, how will it go away?
If I speak, my pain is not assuaged; and if I forbear, what am I eased?
7 Surely He has now exhausted me; You have devastated all my family.
But now he hath made me weary; ...thou hast made desolate all my family;
8 You have bound me, and it has become a witness; my frailty rises up and testifies against me.
Thou hast shrivelled me up! it is become a witness; and my leanness riseth up against me, it beareth witness 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.
His anger teareth and pursueth me; he gnasheth with his teeth against me; [as] mine adversary he sharpeneth his eyes at me.
10 They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me.
They gape upon me with their mouth; they smite my cheeks reproachfully; they range themselves together against me.
11 God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked.
God hath delivered me over to the iniquitous man, and hurled me into the hands of the wicked.
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;
I was at rest, but he hath shattered me; he hath taken me by the neck and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.
13 His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and spills my gall on the ground.
His arrows encompass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.
14 He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a mighty warrior.
He breaketh me with breach upon breach; he runneth upon me like a mighty man.
15 I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my horn in the dust.
I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and rolled my horn in the dust.
16 My face is red with weeping, and deep shadows ring my eyes;
My face is red with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
17 yet my hands are free of violence and my prayer is pure.
Although there is no violence 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.
O earth, cover not my blood, and let there be no place for my cry!
19 Even now my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high.
Even now, behold, my Witness is in the heavens, and he that voucheth for me is in the heights.
20 My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God.
My friends are my mockers; mine eye poureth out tears unto God.
21 Oh, that a man might plead with God as he pleads with his neighbor!
Oh that there were arbitration for a man with God, as a son of man for his friend!
22 For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return.
For years [few] in number shall pass, — and I shall go the way [whence] I shall not return.
