Job 16
1 Bvt Iob answered, and said,
Then Job answered and said,
2 I haue oft times heard such things: miserable comforters are ye all.
“I have heard many such things; you are all miserable comforters.
3 Shall there be none ende of wordes of winde? or what maketh thee bold so to answere?
Will useless words ever have an end? What is wrong with you that you answer like this?
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 could speak as you do, if you were in my place; I could collect and join words together against you and shake my head at you in mockery.
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 quivering of my lips will bring you relief!
6 Though I speake, my sorow can not be asswaged: though I cease, what release haue I?
If I speak, my grief is not lessened; if I keep from speaking, how am I helped?
7 But now hee maketh mee wearie: O God, thou hast made all my congregation desolate,
But now, God, you have made me weary; you have made all my family desolate.
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.
You have made me dry up, which itself is a witness against me; the leanness of my body rises up against me, and it testifies against 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.
God has torn me in his wrath and persecuted me; He grinds his teeth in rage; my enemy fastens his eyes on me as he tears me apart.
10 They haue opened their mouthes vpon me, and smitten me on the cheeke in reproch; they gather themselues together against me.
People have gaped with open mouth at me; they have hit me reproachfully on the cheek; they have gathered together 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 hands me over to ungodly people, and throws me into the hands of wicked people.
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, and he broke me apart. Indeed, he has taken me by the neck and dashed me to pieces; he has also set me up as his target.
13 His archers compasse mee rounde about: he cutteth my reines, and doth not spare, and powreth my gall vpon the ground.
His archers surround me all around; God pierces my kidneys and does not spare me; he pours out my bile on the ground.
14 He hath broken me with one breaking vpon another, and runneth vpon me like a gyant.
He smashes through my wall again and again; he runs upon me like a warrior.
15 I haue sowed a sackcloth vpon my skinne, and haue abased mine horne vnto the dust.
I have sewn sackcloth on my skin; I have thrust my horn into the ground.
16 My face is withered with weeping, and the shadow of death is vpon mine eyes,
My face is red with weeping; on my eyelids is the shadow of death
17 Though there be no wickednesse in mine hands, and my prayer be pure.
although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
18 O earth, couer not thou my blood, and let my crying finde no place.
Earth, do not cover up my blood; let my cry have no resting place.
19 For lo, now my witnesse is in the heauen, and my record is on hie.
Even now, see, my witness is in heaven; he who vouches for me is on high.
20 My friends speake eloquently against me: but mine eye powreth out teares vnto God.
My friends scoff at me, but my eye pours out tears to God.
21 Oh that a man might pleade with God, as man with his neighbour!
I ask for that witness in heaven to argue for this man with God as a man does 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 have passed, I will go to a place from where I will not return.
