Job 16
1 And Job made answer and said,
Then answered Job, and said,
2 Such things have frequently come to my ears: you are comforters who only give trouble.
I have heard many things such as these: troublesome 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 there be any end to words of wind? or what compelleth thee that thou shouldst answer?
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 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 I might give you strength with my mouth, and not keep back the comfort of my lips.
But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the condolence of my lips should restrain [your grief].
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?
Though I were to speak, my pain would not be restrained; and though I should forbear, what will go away from me?
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 company.
8 It has come up as a witness against me, and the wasting of my flesh makes answer to my face.
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 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;
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 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 now open wide against me their mouth; reproachfully they smite my cheek: altogether do they assemble against me.
11 God gives me over to the power of sinners, sending me violently into the hands of evil-doers.
God hath surrendered me to the unjust, and cast me down 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 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 bowmen come round about me; their arrows go through my body without mercy; my life is drained out on the earth.
His archers encompass me round about; he cleaveth my reins sunder, and doth not pity; he poureth out upon the ground my gall;
14 I am broken with wound after wound; he comes rushing on me like a man of war.
He breaketh me down with breach upon breach; he runneth against me like a mighty man.
15 I have made haircloth the clothing of my skin, and my horn is rolled 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 my eyes are becoming dark;
My face gloweth from weeping, and on my eyelids resteth the shadow of death:
17 Though my hands have done no violent acts, and my prayer is clean.
Not because any violence is in my hands, and while my prayer is pure.
18 O earth, let not my blood be covered, and let my cry have no resting-place!
Earth! do thou not cover up my blood, and let no place restrain 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 one that testifieth for me is on high.
20 My friends make sport of me; to God my eyes are weeping,
Are my friends my defenders? unto God my eye poureth out [its tears].
21 So that he may give decision for a man in his cause with God, and between a son of man and his neighbour.
And oh that a man might plead with God, as one son of earth with the other!
22 For in a short time I will take the journey from which I will not come back.
For when the numbered years are passed, then must I travel a path whence I cannot return.
