Job 16
1 Then Job answered and said,
Then answered Job, and said,
2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are you all.
I have heard many things such as these: troublesome comforters are ye all.
3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldens you that you answer?
Shall there be any end to words of wind? or what compelleth thee that thou shouldst answer?
4 I also could speak as you do: if your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake my head at you.
I also could well speak as ye do: if your soul were but in my soul's stead, I could overwhelm you with words, and could shake my head at you.
5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should assuage your grief.
But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the condolence of my lips should restrain [your grief].
6 Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?
Though I were to speak, my pain would not be restrained; and though I should forbear, what will go away from me?
7 But now he has made me weary: you have made desolate all my company.
But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.
8 And you have filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me bears witness to my face.
And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, they are my witnesses; and my leanness riseth up for me, giveth its testimony to my face.
9 He tears me in his wrath, who hates me: he gnashes on me with his teeth; my enemy sharpens his eyes on me.
In his wrath he teareth me to pieces, and assaileth me: he gnasheth over me with his teeth; my adversary sendeth threatening looks at me.
10 They have gaped on me with their mouth; they have smitten me on the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.
They now open wide against me their mouth; reproachfully they smite my cheek: altogether do they assemble against me.
11 God has delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.
God hath surrendered me to the unjust, and cast me down into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but he has broken me asunder: he has also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.
I was at ease, but he hath crushed me; he hath also grasped me by the neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up unto himself as a mark;
13 His archers compass me round about, he splits my reins asunder, and does not spare; he pours out my gall on the ground.
His archers encompass me round about; he cleaveth my reins sunder, and doth not pity; he poureth out upon the ground my gall;
14 He breaks me with breach on breach, he runs on me like a giant.
He breaketh me down with breach upon breach; he runneth against me like a mighty man.
15 I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
Sackcloth have I sewed upon my skin, and my horn I roll in the dust.
16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
My face gloweth from weeping, and on my eyelids resteth the shadow of death:
17 Not for any injustice in my hands: also my prayer is pure.
Not because any violence is in my hands, and while my prayer is pure.
18 O earth, cover not you my blood, and let my cry have no place.
Earth! do thou not cover up my blood, and let no place restrain my cry.
19 Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.
Even now, behold, my witness is in the heavens, and one that testifieth for me is on high.
20 My friends scorn me: but my eye pours out tears to God.
Are my friends my defenders? unto God my eye poureth out [its tears].
21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleads for his neighbor!
And oh that a man might plead with God, as one son of earth with the other!
22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way from where I shall not return.
For when the numbered years are passed, then must I travel a path whence I cannot return.
