Job 16
1 Then Job answered, and said:
And Job answers and says:
2 I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters.
“I have heard many such things, Miserable comforters [are] you all.
3 Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak?
Is there an end to words of wind? Or what emboldens you that you answer?
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, like you, might speak, If your soul were in my soul’s stead. I might join against you with words, And nod at you with my head.
5 I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as sparing you.
I might harden you with my mouth, And the moving of my lips might be sparing.
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.
If I speak, my pain is not restrained, And I cease—what goes from me?
7 But now my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing.
Only, now, it has wearied me; You have desolated all my company,
8 My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting me.
And You loathe me, For it has been a witness, And my failure rises up against me, It testifies in 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.
His anger has torn, and He hates me, He has gnashed at me with His teeth, My adversary sharpens His eyes for 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.
They have gaped on me with their mouth, In reproach they have struck my cheeks, Together they set themselves against me.
11 God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked.
God shuts me up to the perverse, And turns me over to the hands 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 have been at ease, and He breaks me, And He has laid hold on my neck, And He breaks me in pieces, And He raises me to Him for 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.
His archers go around against me. He split my reins, and does not spare, He pours out my gall to the earth.
14 He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant.
He breaks me—breach on breach, He runs on me as a mighty one.
15 I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.
I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, And have rolled my horn in the dust.
16 My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.
My face is foul with weeping, And on my eyelids [is] death-shade.
17 These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God.
Not for violence 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.
O earth, do not cover my blood! And let there not be a place for my cry.
19 For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.
Also, now, behold, my witness [is] in the heavens, And my testifier in the high places.
20 My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God.
My interpreter [is] my friend, My eye has dropped to God;
21 And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!
And He reasons for a man with God, As a son of man for his friend.
22 For behold short years pass away and I am walking in a path by which I shall not return.
When a few years come, Then I go [on] the path of no return.”
