Job 16

1 Bvt Iob answered, and said,

Then Job, answering, said:

2 I haue oft times heard such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

I have often heard such things; you are all aggravating comforters.

3 Shall there be none ende of wordes of winde? or what maketh thee bold so to answere?

Will there be no end to windy words? Or is it at all a burden to you, if you speak?

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, too, can speak like you; and I also wish that your soul favored my soul. I would also comfort you with speeches and would wag my head over you.

5 But I woulde strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips should asswage your sorowe.

I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as if being lenient to you.

6 Though I speake, my sorow can not be asswaged: though I cease, what release haue I?

But what can I do? When I am speaking, my grief will not be quiet; and if I am quiet, it will not withdraw from me.

7 But now hee maketh mee wearie: O God, thou hast made all my congregation desolate,

But now my grief has crushed me, and all my limbs have been reduced to nothing.

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 wrinkles bear witness against me, and a liar rises up against my face, contradicting me.

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.

He has gathered together his fury towards me, and, threatening me, he has roared against me with his teeth; my enemy has beheld me with terrible eyes.

10 They haue opened their mouthes vpon me, and smitten me on the cheeke in reproch; they gather themselues together against me.

They have opened their mouths against me, and, reproaching me, they have struck me on the cheek; they are nourished by my sufferings.

11 God hath deliuered me to the vniust, and hath made mee to turne out of the way by the hands of the wicked.

God has confined me with the immoral, and he has delivered me into the hands of the impious.

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.

I, who once was wealthy, am now crushed. He has grabbed me by my neck; he has broken me and has placed me before him as a sign.

13 His archers compasse mee rounde about: he cutteth my reines, and doth not spare, and powreth my gall vpon the ground.

He has surrounded me with his lances. He has severely wounded my lower back, he has not been lenient, and he has poured out my organs upon the earth.

14 He hath broken me with one breaking vpon another, and runneth vpon me like a gyant.

He has cut me with wound after wound. He has rushed upon me like a giant.

15 I haue sowed a sackcloth vpon my skinne, and haue abased mine horne vnto the dust.

I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, and I have covered my body with ashes.

16 My face is withered with weeping, and the shadow of death is vpon mine eyes,

My face is swollen from weeping, and my eyelids have dimmed my vision.

17 Though there be no wickednesse in mine hands, and my prayer be pure.

These things I have endured without iniquity in my hand, while I held pure prayers before God.

18 O earth, couer not thou my blood, and let my crying finde no place.

O earth, do not conceal my blood, nor let my outcry find a hiding place in you.

19 For lo, now my witnesse is in the heauen, and my record is on hie.

For behold, my witness is in heaven, and my confidante is on high.

20 My friends speake eloquently against me: but mine eye powreth out teares vnto God.

My friends are full of words; my eye rains tears upon God.

21 Oh that a man might pleade with God, as man with his neighbour!

And I wish that a man might be so judged before God, just as the son of man is judged with his assistant!

22 For the yeeres accounted come, and I shall go the way, whence I shall not returne.

For behold, a few years pass by, and I am walking a path by which I will not return.