Job 16

1 Job replied,

And Job answered and said,

2 “I've heard all this before. You are comforters who just cause trouble!

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

3 Will your windy speeches never cease? What's bothering you that you have to answer me?

Shall words of wind have an end? or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?

4 I could talk like you do if you were in my place, stringing words together to criticize you, ridiculing you with a toss of my head.

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;

5 I could build you up by my mouth speaking words; the movement of my lips would ease your pain.

[But] I would encourage you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips should assuage [your pain].

6 For me, if I speak it doesn't ease my pain, and if I don't speak the pain is still there.

If I speak, my pain is not assuaged; and if I forbear, what am I eased?

7 God, you have worn me out. You have destroyed my whole family.

But now he hath made me weary; ...thou hast made desolate all my family;

8 You have made me shrivel up, which is a witness against me; my thin body testifies against me.

Thou hast shrivelled me up! it is become a witness; and my leanness riseth up against me, it beareth witness to my face.

9 He has torn me apart in his anger; in his hostility he has gnashed his teeth at me; my enemy pierces me with his fierce look.

His anger teareth and pursueth me; he gnasheth with his teeth against me; [as] mine adversary he sharpeneth his eyes at me.

10 People stare at me with their mouths wide open, they slap me on my cheeks to mock me, they crowd around me to attack me.

They gape upon me with their mouth; they smite my cheeks reproachfully; they range themselves together against me.

11 God has handed me over to evil people; he has thrown me into their hands.

God hath delivered me over to the iniquitous man, and hurled me into the hands of the wicked.

12 I was living in peace and he smashed me to pieces. He grabbed me by the neck and dashed me to pieces. He set me up as his target.

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.

13 His archers surround me. His arrows pierce my kidneys without mercy. He pours out my gall on the ground.

His arrows encompass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.

14 Like a wall he breaks me down, breach upon breach, rushing at me like a warrior.

He breaketh me with breach upon breach; he runneth upon me like a mighty man.

15 I have sown sackcloth to cover my skin; my strength lies broken in the dust.

I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and rolled my horn in the dust.

16 My face is red from crying and dark shadows surround my eyes,

My face is red with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

17 although I have done nothing wrong and my prayer is pure.

Although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.

18 Earth, do not cover up my blood. May my cry find no place to hide.

O earth, cover not my blood, and let there be no place for my cry!

19 Look, right now my witness is in heaven; the one who speaks for me is on high.

Even now, behold, my Witness is in the heavens, and he that voucheth for me is in the heights.

20 My friends scorn me, but my eyes pour out tears to God.

My friends are my mockers; mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

21 I want my witness to speak for me with God as someone does for their friend.

Oh that there were arbitration for a man with God, as a son of man for his friend!

22 For in a few short years I shall go down that road from which I shall not return.

For years [few] in number shall pass, — and I shall go the way [whence] I shall not return.