Job 16
1 And Job made answer and said,
And Job answered and said,
2 Such things have frequently come to my ears: you are comforters who only give trouble.
I have heard many such things: grievous comforters are ye all.
3 May words which are like the wind be stopped? or what is troubling you to make answer to them?
Shall words of wind have an end? or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?
4 It would not be hard for me to say such things if your souls were in my soul's place; joining words together against you, and shaking 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 I might give you strength with my mouth, and not keep back the comfort of my lips.
[But] I would encourage you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips should assuage [your pain].
6 If I say what is in my mind, my pain becomes no less: and if I keep quiet, how much of it goes from me?
If I speak, my pain is not assuaged; and if I forbear, what am I eased?
7 But now he has overcome me with weariness and fear, and I am in the grip of all my trouble.
But now he hath made me weary; ...thou hast made desolate all my family;
8 It has come up as a witness against me, and the wasting of my flesh makes answer to my face.
Thou hast shrivelled me up! it is become a witness; and my leanness riseth up against me, it beareth witness to my face.
9 I am broken by his wrath, and his hate has gone after me; he has made his teeth sharp against me: my haters are looking on me with cruel eyes;
His anger teareth and pursueth me; he gnasheth with his teeth against me; [as] mine adversary he sharpeneth his eyes at me.
10 Their mouths are open wide against me; the blows of his bitter words are falling on my face; all of them come together in a mass against me.
They gape upon me with their mouth; they smite my cheeks reproachfully; they range themselves together against me.
11 God gives me over to the power of sinners, sending me violently into the hands of evil-doers.
God hath delivered me over to the iniquitous man, and hurled me into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was in comfort, but I have been broken up by his hands; he has taken me by the neck, shaking me to bits; he has put me up as a mark for his arrows.
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 bowmen come round about me; their arrows go through my body without mercy; my life is drained out on the earth.
His arrows encompass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.
14 I am broken with wound after wound; he comes rushing on me like a man of war.
He breaketh me with breach upon breach; he runneth upon me like a mighty man.
15 I have made haircloth the clothing of my skin, and my horn is rolled 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 my eyes are becoming dark;
My face is red with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
17 Though my hands have done no violent acts, and my prayer is clean.
Although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
18 O earth, let not my blood be covered, and let my cry have no resting-place!
O earth, cover not my blood, and let there be no place for my cry!
19 Even now my witness is in heaven, and the supporter of my cause 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 make sport of me; to God my eyes are weeping,
My friends are my mockers; mine eye poureth out tears unto God.
21 So that he may give decision for a man in his cause with God, and between a son of man and his neighbour.
Oh that there were arbitration for a man with God, as a son of man for his friend!
22 For in a short time I will take the journey from which I will not come back.
For years [few] in number shall pass, — and I shall go the way [whence] I shall not return.
