Job 16
1 Bvt Iob answered, and said,
But Job answered and said,
2 I haue oft times heard such things: miserable comforters are ye all.
I have heard many such things: poor comforters are you all.
3 Shall there be none ende of wordes of winde? or what maketh thee bold so to answere?
What! is there any reason in vain words? or what will hinder you from answering?
4 I could also speake as yee doe: (but woulde God your soule were in my soules stead) I could keepe you company in speaking, and could shake mine head at you,
I also will speak as you [do]: if indeed your soul were in my [soul's] stead, then would I insult you with words, and I would shake my head at you.
5 But I woulde strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips should asswage your sorowe.
And would there were strength in my mouth, and I would not spare the movement of my lips.
6 Though I speake, my sorow can not be asswaged: though I cease, what release haue I?
For if I should speak, I shall not feel the pain of my wound: and if I should be silent, how shall I be wounded the less?
7 But now hee maketh mee wearie: O God, thou hast made all my congregation desolate,
But now he has made me weary, and a worn-out fool; and you have laid hold of me.
8 And hast made me full of wrinkles which is a witnesse thereof, and my leannes ryseth vp in me, testifying the same in my face.
My falsehood has become a testimony, and has risen up against me: it has confronted me to my face.
9 His wrath hath torne me, and hee hateth me, and gnasheth vpon mee with his teeth: mine enemie hath sharpened his eyes against me.
In his anger he has cast me down; he has gnashed his teeth upon me: the weapons of his robbers have fallen upon me.
10 They haue opened their mouthes vpon me, and smitten me on the cheeke in reproch; they gather themselues together against me.
He has attacked me with the keen glances of his eyes; with his sharp [spear] he has struck me [down] upon my knees; and they have run upon me with one accord.
11 God hath deliuered me to the vniust, and hath made mee to turne out of the way by the hands of the wicked.
For the Lord has delivered me into the hands of unrighteous men, and thrown me upon the ungodly.
12 I was in welth, but he hath brought me to nought: he hath taken me by the necke, and beaten me, and set me as a marke for himselfe.
When I was at peace he distracted me: he took me by the hair of the head, and plucked it out: he set me up as a mark.
13 His archers compasse mee rounde about: he cutteth my reines, and doth not spare, and powreth my gall vpon the ground.
They surrounded me with spears, aiming at my reins: without sparing [me] they poured out my gall upon the ground.
14 He hath broken me with one breaking vpon another, and runneth vpon me like a gyant.
They overthrew me with fall upon fall: they ran upon me in [their] might.
15 I haue sowed a sackcloth vpon my skinne, and haue abased mine horne vnto the dust.
They sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and my strength has been spent on the ground.
16 My face is withered with weeping, and the shadow of death is vpon mine eyes,
My belly has been parched with wailing, and darkness is on my eyelids.
17 Though there be no wickednesse in mine hands, and my prayer be pure.
Yet there was no injustice in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
18 O earth, couer not thou my blood, and let my crying finde no place.
Earth, cover not over the blood of my flesh, and let my cry have no place.
19 For lo, now my witnesse is in the heauen, and my record is on hie.
And now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high.
20 My friends speake eloquently against me: but mine eye powreth out teares vnto God.
Let my supplication come to the Lord, and let mine eye weep before him.
21 Oh that a man might pleade with God, as man with his neighbour!
Oh that a man might plead before the Lord, even [as] the son of man with his neighbour!
22 For the yeeres accounted come, and I shall go the way, whence I shall not returne.
But my years are numbered and [their end] come, and I shall go by the way by which I shall not return.
