Job 16
1 Then Job answered and said:
Then Job answered:
2 I have heard many such things; sorry comforters are ye all.
“I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all.
3 Shall windy words have an end? Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?
Is there no end to your long-winded speeches? What provokes you to continue testifying?
4 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.
I could also speak like you if you were in my place; I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you.
5 I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips would assuage your grief.
But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would bring relief.
6 Though I speak, my pain is not assuaged; and though I forbear, what am I eased?
Even if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I hold back, how will it go away?
7 But now He hath made me weary; Thou hast made desolate all my company.
Surely He has now exhausted me; You have devastated all my family.
8 And Thou hast shrivelled me up, which is a witness against me; and my leanness riseth up against me, it testifieth to my face.
You have bound me, and it has become a witness; my frailty rises up and testifies against me.
9 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.
His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes.
10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek scornfully; they gather themselves together against me.
They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me.
11 God delivereth me to the ungodly, and casteth me into the hands of the wicked.
God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked.
12 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.
I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target;
13 His archers compass me round about, He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; He poureth out my gall upon the ground.
His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and spills my gall on the ground.
14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach; He runneth upon me like a giant.
He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a mighty warrior.
15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and have laid my horn in the dust.
I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my horn in the dust.
16 My face is reddened with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
My face is red with weeping, and deep shadows ring my eyes;
17 Although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
yet my hands are free of violence and my prayer is pure.
18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no resting-place.
O earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help never be laid to rest.
19 Even now, behold, my Witness is in heaven, and He that testifieth of me is on high.
Even now my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high.
20 Mine inward thoughts are my intercessors, mine eye poureth out tears unto God;
My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God.
21 That He would set aright a man contending with God, as a son of man setteth aright his neighbour!
Oh, that a man might plead with God as he pleads with his neighbor!
22 For the years that are few are coming on, and I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return.
