Job 16

1 But Job answered and said,

Job replied,

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

“I've heard all this before. You are comforters who just cause trouble!

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

Will your windy speeches never cease? What's bothering you that you have to answer me?

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 could talk like you do if you were in my place, stringing words together to criticize you, ridiculing you with a toss of my head.

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

I could build you up by my mouth speaking words; the movement of my lips would ease your pain.

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?

For me, if I speak it doesn't ease my pain, and if I don't speak the pain is still there.

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

God, you have worn me out. You have destroyed my whole family.

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

You have made me shrivel up, which is a witness against me; my thin body testifies against 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 torn me apart in his anger; in his hostility he has gnashed his teeth at me; my enemy pierces me with his fierce look.

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.

People stare at me with their mouths wide open, they slap me on my cheeks to mock me, they crowd around me to attack me.

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

God has handed me over to evil people; he has thrown me into their hands.

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 was living in peace and he smashed me to pieces. He grabbed me by the neck and dashed me to pieces. He set me up as his target.

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

His archers surround me. His arrows pierce my kidneys without mercy. He pours out my gall on the ground.

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

Like a wall he breaks me down, breach upon breach, rushing at me like a warrior.

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

I have sown sackcloth to cover my skin; my strength lies broken in the dust.

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

My face is red from crying and dark shadows surround my eyes,

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

although I have done nothing wrong and my prayer is pure.

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

Earth, do not cover up my blood. May my cry find no place to hide.

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

Look, right now my witness is in heaven; the one who speaks for me is on high.

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

My friends scorn me, but my eyes pour out tears to God.

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

I want my witness to speak for me with God as someone does for their friend.

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

For in a few short years I shall go down that road from which I shall not return.