Job 16

1 But Job answered and said,

Then Job, answering, said:

2 I have heard many such things: poor comforters are you all.

I have often heard such things; you are all aggravating comforters.

3 What! is there any reason in vain words? or what will hinder you from answering?

Will there be no end to windy words? Or is it at all a burden to you, if you speak?

4 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.

I, too, can speak like you; and I also wish that your soul favored my soul. I would also comfort you with speeches and would wag my head over you.

5 And would there were strength in my mouth, and I would not spare the movement of my lips.

I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as if being lenient to you.

6 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?

But what can I do? When I am speaking, my grief will not be quiet; and if I am quiet, it will not withdraw from me.

7 But now he has made me weary, and a worn-out fool; and you have laid hold of me.

But now my grief has crushed me, and all my limbs have been reduced to nothing.

8 My falsehood has become a testimony, and has risen up against me: it has confronted me to my face.

My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a liar rises up against my face, contradicting me.

9 In his anger he has cast me down; he has gnashed his teeth upon me: the weapons of his robbers have fallen upon me.

He has gathered together his fury towards me, and, threatening me, he has roared against me with his teeth; my enemy has beheld me with terrible eyes.

10 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.

They have opened their mouths against me, and, reproaching me, they have struck me on the cheek; they are nourished by my sufferings.

11 For the Lord has delivered me into the hands of unrighteous men, and thrown me upon the ungodly.

God has confined me with the immoral, and he has delivered me into the hands of the impious.

12 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.

I, who once was wealthy, am now crushed. He has grabbed me by my neck; he has broken me and has placed me before him as a sign.

13 They surrounded me with spears, aiming at my reins: without sparing [me] they poured out my gall upon the ground.

He has surrounded me with his lances. He has severely wounded my lower back, he has not been lenient, and he has poured out my organs upon the earth.

14 They overthrew me with fall upon fall: they ran upon me in [their] might.

He has cut me with wound after wound. He has rushed upon me like a giant.

15 They sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and my strength has been spent on the ground.

I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, and I have covered my body with ashes.

16 My belly has been parched with wailing, and darkness is on my eyelids.

My face is swollen from weeping, and my eyelids have dimmed my vision.

17 Yet there was no injustice in my hands, and my prayer is pure.

These things I have endured without iniquity in my hand, while I held pure prayers before God.

18 Earth, cover not over the blood of my flesh, and let my cry have no place.

O earth, do not conceal my blood, nor let my outcry find a hiding place in you.

19 And now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high.

For behold, my witness is in heaven, and my confidante is on high.

20 Let my supplication come to the Lord, and let mine eye weep before him.

My friends are full of words; my eye rains tears upon God.

21 Oh that a man might plead before the Lord, even [as] the son of man with his neighbour!

And I wish that a man might be so judged before God, just as the son of man is judged with his assistant!

22 But my years are numbered and [their end] come, and I shall go by the way by which I shall not return.

For behold, a few years pass by, and I am walking a path by which I will not return.