Job 16
1 Then Job answered and said,
But Job answered and said:
2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.
Of such things as these I have heard enough! Miserable comforters are ye all!
3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?
Will there ever be an end to words of wind? What stirreth thee up, that thou answerest?
4 I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could heap up words against you, and 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 would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.
I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the consolation of my lips should sustain you.
6 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?
If I speak, my grief is not assuaged; And if I forbear, it doth not leave me.
7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.
For now He hath quite exhausted me; Thou hast desolated all my house!
8 And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to 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 He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon 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 have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves 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 delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into 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 at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath 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 seized me by the neck, and dashed me in pieces; He hath set me up for his mark.
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 encompass me around; He pierceth my reins, and doth not spare; He poureth out my gall upon the ground.
14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.
He breaketh me with breach upon breach; He rusheth upon me like a warrior.
15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, And thrust my horn into the dust.
16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
My face is red with weeping, And upon my eyelids is deathlike darkness.
17 Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.
Yet is there no injustice in my bands. And my prayer hath been pure.
18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.
O earth! cover not thou my blood, And let there be no hiding-place for my cry!
19 Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.
Yet even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And he who knoweth me is on high.
20 My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.
My friends have me in derision, But my eye poureth out tears unto God.
21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!
O that one might contend for a man with God, As a man contendeth with his neighbor!
22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
For when a few years shall have passed, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
