Job 16

1 Then Job answered and said,

And Job answers and says:

2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are you all.

“I have heard many such things, Miserable comforters [are] you all.

3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldens you that you answer?

Is there an end to words of wind? Or what emboldens you that you 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, like you, might speak, If your soul were in my soul’s stead. I might join against you with words, And nod at you with my head.

5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should assuage your grief.

I might harden you with my mouth, And the moving of my lips might be sparing.

6 Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?

If I speak, my pain is not restrained, And I cease—what goes from me?

7 But now he has made me weary: you have made desolate all my company.

Only, now, it has wearied me; You have desolated 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 You loathe me, For it has been a witness, And my failure rises up against me, It testifies in 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.

His anger has torn, and He hates me, He has gnashed at me with His teeth, My adversary sharpens His eyes for 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 have gaped on me with their mouth, In reproach they have struck my cheeks, Together they set themselves against me.

11 God has delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

God shuts me up to the perverse, And turns me over to 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 have been at ease, and He breaks me, And He has laid hold on my neck, And He breaks me in pieces, And He raises me to Him for 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 go around against me. He split my reins, and does not spare, He pours out my gall to the earth.

14 He breaks me with breach on breach, he runs on me like a giant.

He breaks me—breach on breach, He runs on me as a mighty one.

15 I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.

I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, And have rolled my horn in the dust.

16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

My face is foul with weeping, And on my eyelids [is] death-shade.

17 Not for any injustice in my hands: also my prayer is pure.

Not for violence in my hands, And my prayer [is] pure.

18 O earth, cover not you my blood, and let my cry have no place.

O earth, do not cover my blood! And let there not be a place for my cry.

19 Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.

Also, now, behold, my witness [is] in the heavens, And my testifier in the high places.

20 My friends scorn me: but my eye pours out tears to God.

My interpreter [is] my friend, My eye has dropped to God;

21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleads for his neighbor!

And He reasons for a man with God, As a son of man for his friend.

22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way from where I shall not return.

When a few years come, Then I go [on] the path of no return.”