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 heard many such things; sorry comforters are ye all.
3 Will your windy speeches never cease? What's bothering you that you have to answer me?
Shall windy words 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 do; if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could join words together 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.
I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips would assuage your grief.
6 For me, if I speak it doesn't ease my pain, and if I don't speak the pain is still there.
Though I speak, my pain is not assuaged; and though 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 company.
8 You have made me shrivel up, which is a witness against me; my thin body testifies against me.
And Thou hast shrivelled me up, which is a witness against me; and my leanness riseth up against me, it testifieth 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.
He hath torn me in His wrath, and hated me; He hath gnashed upon me with His teeth; mine adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon 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 have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek scornfully; they gather themselves together against me.
11 God has handed me over to evil people; he has thrown me into their hands.
God delivereth me to the ungodly, and casteth 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 ease, and He broke me asunder; yea, He hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces; He hath also 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 archers compass 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 giant.
15 I have sown sackcloth to cover my skin; my strength lies broken in the dust.
I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and have laid my horn in the dust.
16 My face is red from crying and dark shadows surround my eyes,
My face is reddened 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 thou my blood, and let my cry have no resting-place.
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 heaven, and He that testifieth of me is on high.
20 My friends scorn me, but my eyes pour out tears to God.
Mine inward thoughts are my intercessors, mine eye poureth out tears unto God;
21 I want my witness to speak for me with God as someone does for their friend.
That He would set aright a man contending with God, as a son of man setteth aright his neighbour!
22 For in a few short years I shall go down that road from which I shall not return.
For the years that are few are coming on, and I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
