Job 16
1 Then Job answered, and said:
Then Job answered:
2 I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters.
“I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all.
3 Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak?
Is there no end to your long-winded speeches? What provokes you to continue testifying?
4 I also could speak like you: and would God your soul were for my soul. I would comfort you also with words, and would wag my head over you.
I could also speak like you if you were in my place; I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you.
5 I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as sparing you.
But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would bring relief.
6 But what shall I do? If I speak, my pain will not rest: and if I hold my peace, it will not depart from me.
Even if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I hold back, how will it go away?
7 But now my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing.
Surely He has now exhausted me; You have devastated all my family.
8 My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting me.
You have bound me, and it has become a witness; my frailty rises up and testifies against me.
9 He hath gathered together his fury against me, and threatening me he hath gnashed with his teeth upon me: my enemy hath beheld me with terrible eyes.
His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes.
10 They have opened their mouths upon me, and reproaching me they have struck me on the cheek, they are filled with my pains.
They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me.
11 God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked.
God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked.
12 I that was formerly so wealthy, am all on a sudden broken to pieces: he hath taken me by my neck, he hath broken me, and hath set me up to be his mark.
I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target;
13 He hath compassed me round about with his lances, he hath wounded my loins, he hath not spared, and hath poured out my bowels on the earth.
His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and spills my gall on the ground.
14 He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant.
He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a mighty warrior.
15 I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.
I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my horn in the dust.
16 My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.
My face is red with weeping, and deep shadows ring my eyes;
17 These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God.
yet my hands are free of violence and my prayer is pure.
18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, neither let my cry find a hiding place in thee.
O earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help never be laid to rest.
19 For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.
Even now my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high.
20 My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God.
My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God.
21 And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!
Oh, that a man might plead with God as he pleads with his neighbor!
22 For behold short years pass away and I am walking in a path by which I shall not return.
For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return.
