Job 16
1 Job replied,
Then Job answered, and said:
2 “I've heard all this before. You are comforters who just cause trouble!
I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters.
3 Will your windy speeches never cease? What's bothering you that you have to answer me?
Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak?
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 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.
5 I could build you up by my mouth speaking words; the movement of my lips would ease your pain.
I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as sparing you.
6 For me, if I speak it doesn't ease my pain, and if I don't speak the pain is still there.
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.
7 God, you have worn me out. You have destroyed my whole family.
But now my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing.
8 You have made me shrivel up, which is a witness against me; my thin body testifies against me.
My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting me.
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.
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.
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 have opened their mouths upon me, and reproaching me they have struck me on the cheek, they are filled with my pains.
11 God has handed me over to evil people; he has thrown me into their hands.
God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered 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 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.
13 His archers surround me. His arrows pierce my kidneys without mercy. He pours out my gall on the ground.
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.
14 Like a wall he breaks me down, breach upon breach, rushing at me like a warrior.
He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant.
15 I have sown sackcloth to cover my skin; my strength lies broken in the dust.
I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.
16 My face is red from crying and dark shadows surround my eyes,
My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.
17 although I have done nothing wrong and my prayer is pure.
These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God.
18 Earth, do not cover up my blood. May my cry find no place to hide.
O earth, cover not thou my blood, neither let my cry find a hiding place in thee.
19 Look, right now my witness is in heaven; the one who speaks for me is on high.
For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.
20 My friends scorn me, but my eyes pour out tears to God.
My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God.
21 I want my witness to speak for me with God as someone does for their friend.
And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!
22 For in a few short years I shall go down that road from which I shall not return.
For behold short years pass away and I am walking in a path by which I shall not return.
