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.
Of such things as these I have heard enough! Miserable comforters are ye all!
3 Shall there be none ende of wordes of winde? or what maketh thee bold so to answere?
Will there ever be an end to words of wind? What stirreth thee up, that thou answerest?
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 might speak like you, If ye were now in my place; I might string together words against you, And shake my head at 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 the consolation of my lips should sustain you.
6 Though I speake, my sorow can not be asswaged: though I cease, what release haue I?
If I speak, my grief is not assuaged; And if I forbear, it doth not leave me.
7 But now hee maketh mee wearie: O God, thou hast made all my congregation desolate,
For now He hath quite exhausted me; Thou hast desolated all my house!
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.
Thou hast seized hold of me, and this is a witness against me; My leanness riseth up and testifieth against 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.
His anger teareth my flesh, and pursueth me; He gnasheth upon me with his teeth; My adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
10 They haue opened their mouthes vpon me, and smitten me on the cheeke in reproch; they gather themselues together against me.
They gape for me with their mouths; In scorn they smite me on the cheek; With one consent they assemble against me.
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 hath given me a prey to the unrighteous, And delivered me into the hands of the wicked.
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 was at ease, but he hath crushed me; He hath seized me by the neck, and dashed me in pieces; He hath set me up for his mark.
13 His archers compasse mee rounde about: he cutteth my reines, and doth not spare, and powreth my gall vpon the ground.
His archers encompass me around; He pierceth my reins, and doth not spare; He poureth out my gall upon the ground.
14 He hath broken me with one breaking vpon another, and runneth vpon me like a gyant.
He breaketh me with breach upon breach; He rusheth upon me like a warrior.
15 I haue sowed a sackcloth vpon my skinne, and haue abased mine horne vnto the dust.
I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, And thrust my horn into the dust.
16 My face is withered with weeping, and the shadow of death is vpon mine eyes,
My face is red with weeping, And upon my eyelids is deathlike darkness.
17 Though there be no wickednesse in mine hands, and my prayer be pure.
Yet is there no injustice in my bands. And my prayer hath been pure.
18 O earth, couer not thou my blood, and let my crying finde no place.
O earth! cover not thou my blood, And let there be no hiding-place for my cry!
19 For lo, now my witnesse is in the heauen, and my record is on hie.
Yet even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And he who knoweth me is on high.
20 My friends speake eloquently against me: but mine eye powreth out teares vnto God.
My friends have me in derision, But my eye poureth out tears unto God.
21 Oh that a man might pleade with God, as man with his neighbour!
O that one might contend for a man with God, As a man contendeth with his neighbor!
22 For the yeeres accounted come, and I shall go the way, whence I shall not returne.
For when a few years shall have passed, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
