Job 16

1 Then Job answered, and said:

But Job answered and said,

2 I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters.

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

3 Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak?

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

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 also will speak as ye [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 I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as sparing you.

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

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.

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 my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing.

But now he has made me weary, and a worn-out fool; and thou hast laid hold of me.

8 My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting me.

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

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.

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 have opened their mouths upon me, and reproaching me they have struck me on the cheek, they are filled with my pains.

He has attacked me with the keen glances of his eyes; with his sharp [spear] he has smitten me [down] upon my knees; and they have run upon me with one accord.

11 God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered 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 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.

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 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.

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

14 He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant.

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

15 I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.

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

16 My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.

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

17 These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God.

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

18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, neither let my cry find a hiding place in thee.

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

19 For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.

And now, behold, 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.

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

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 before the Lord, even [as] the son of man with his neighbor!

22 For behold short years pass away and I am walking in a path by which 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.