Job 16
1 Then Job answered:
Then answered Job, and said,
2 “I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all.
I have heard many things such as these: troublesome comforters are ye all.
3 Is there no end to your long-winded speeches? What provokes you to continue testifying?
Shall there be any end to words of wind? or what compelleth thee that thou shouldst answer?
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 well speak as ye do: if your soul were but in my soul's stead, I could overwhelm you with words, and could 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 strengthen you with my mouth, and the condolence of my lips should restrain [your grief].
6 Even if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I hold back, how will it go away?
Though I were to speak, my pain would not be restrained; and though I should forbear, what will go away from me?
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 company.
8 You have bound me, and it has become a witness; my frailty rises up and testifies against me.
And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, they are my witnesses; and my leanness riseth up for me, giveth its testimony 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 wrath he teareth me to pieces, and assaileth me: he gnasheth over me with his teeth; my adversary sendeth threatening looks at me.
10 They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me.
They now open wide against me their mouth; reproachfully they smite my cheek: altogether do they assemble against me.
11 God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked.
God hath surrendered me to the unjust, and cast me down 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 ease, but he hath crushed me; he hath also grasped me by the neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up unto himself as a mark;
13 His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and spills my gall on the ground.
His archers encompass me round about; he cleaveth my reins sunder, and doth not pity; he poureth out upon the ground my gall;
14 He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a mighty warrior.
He breaketh me down with breach upon breach; he runneth against me like a mighty man.
15 I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my horn in the dust.
Sackcloth have I sewed upon my skin, and my horn I roll in the dust.
16 My face is red with weeping, and deep shadows ring my eyes;
My face gloweth from weeping, and on my eyelids resteth the shadow of death:
17 yet my hands are free of violence and my prayer is pure.
Not because any violence is in my hands, and while my prayer is pure.
18 O earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help never be laid to rest.
Earth! do thou not cover up my blood, and let no place restrain 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 one that testifieth for me is on high.
20 My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God.
Are my friends my defenders? unto God my eye poureth out [its tears].
21 Oh, that a man might plead with God as he pleads with his neighbor!
And oh that a man might plead with God, as one son of earth with the other!
22 For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return.
For when the numbered years are passed, then must I travel a path whence I cannot return.
