Job 16
1 Then Job answered, and said:
Then responded Job, and said: —
2 I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters.
I have heard many such things, Wearisome comforters, are ye all!
3 Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak?
Is there to be an end to windy words? Or what so strongly exciteth thee, that thou must respond?
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, could speak, —If your soul were in the place of my soul, I could string together words against you, and could therewith shake over you my head.
5 I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as sparing you.
I could make you determined, by my mouth, and then my lip-solace should restrain you.
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.
Though I do speak, unassuaged is my stinging pain, —And, if I forbear, of what am I relieved?
7 But now my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing.
But, now, hath he wearied me, thou hast destroyed all my family;
8 My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting me.
And, having captured me, it hath served, as a witness; and so my wasting away hath risen up against me, in my face, it answereth.
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, hath torn and persecuted me, He hath gnashed upon me with his teeth, Mine adversary, hath sharpened 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 upon me with their mouth, With reproach, have they smitten my cheek, Together, against me, have they closed their ranks.
11 God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked.
GOD doth abandon me to him that is perverse, and, into the hands of the lawless, he throweth me headlong.
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.
At ease, was I when he shattered me, Yea he seized me by my neck, and dashed me in pieces, then set me up for himself 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.
His archers came round against me, He clave asunder my reins, and spared not, He poured out, on the earth, my gall:
14 He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant.
He made a breach in me, breach upon breach, He ran upon me, like a mighty man.
15 I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.
Sackcloth, sewed I on my skin, and rolled—in the dust—my horn:
16 My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.
My face, is reddened from weeping, and, upon mine eyelashes, is the death-shade: —
17 These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God.
Though no violence was in my hands, and, my prayer, was 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 be no place for mine outcry.
19 For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.
Even now, lo! in the heavens, is my witness,
20 My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God.
And, he that voucheth for me is on high. My friends are, they who scorn me, Unto GOD, hath mine eye shed tears: —
21 And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!
That one might plead, for a man, with GOD, —Even 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, by a path by which I shall not return, shall I depart.
