Job 16
1 And Job answered and said,
But Job answered and said,
2 I have heard many such things: grievous comforters are ye all.
I have heard many such things: poor comforters are you all.
3 Shall words of wind have an end? or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?
What! is there any reason in vain words? or what will hinder you from answering?
4 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;
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.
5 [But] I would encourage you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips should assuage [your pain].
And would there were strength in my mouth, and I would not spare the movement of my lips.
6 If I speak, my pain is not assuaged; and if I forbear, what am I eased?
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?
7 But now he hath made me weary; ...thou hast made desolate all my family;
But now he has made me weary, and a worn-out fool; and you have laid hold of me.
8 Thou hast shrivelled me up! it is become a witness; and my leanness riseth up against me, it beareth witness to my face.
My falsehood has become a testimony, and has risen up against me: it has confronted me to my face.
9 His anger teareth and pursueth me; he gnasheth with his teeth against me; [as] mine adversary he sharpeneth his eyes at me.
In his anger he has cast me down; he has gnashed his teeth upon me: the weapons of his robbers have fallen upon me.
10 They gape upon me with their mouth; they smite my cheeks reproachfully; they range themselves together against me.
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.
11 God hath delivered me over to the iniquitous man, and hurled me into the hands of the wicked.
For the Lord has delivered me into the hands of unrighteous men, and thrown me upon the ungodly.
12 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.
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.
13 His arrows encompass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.
They surrounded me with spears, aiming at my reins: without sparing [me] they poured out my gall upon the ground.
14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach; he runneth upon me like a mighty man.
They overthrew me with fall upon fall: they ran upon me in [their] might.
15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and rolled my horn in the dust.
They sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and my strength has been spent on the ground.
16 My face is red with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
My belly has been parched with wailing, and darkness is on my eyelids.
17 Although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
Yet there was no injustice in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
18 O earth, cover not my blood, and let there be no place for my cry!
Earth, cover not over the blood of my flesh, and let my cry have no place.
19 Even now, behold, my Witness is in the heavens, and he that voucheth for me is in the heights.
And now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high.
20 My friends are my mockers; mine eye poureth out tears unto God.
Let my supplication come to the Lord, and let mine eye weep before him.
21 Oh that there were arbitration for a man with God, as a son of man for his friend!
Oh that a man might plead before the Lord, even [as] the son of man with his neighbor!
22 For years [few] in number shall pass, — and I shall go the way [whence] I shall not return.
But my years are numbered and [their end] come, and I shall go by the way by which I shall not return.
