Job 16
1 Then Job answered and said,
And Job made answer and said,
2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are all of you all.
Such things have frequently come to my ears: you are comforters who only give trouble.
3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldens you that you answer?
May words which are like the wind be stopped? or what is troubling you to make answer to them?
4 I also could speak as all of you do: if your soul were in my soul's position, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.
It would not be hard for me to say such things if your souls were in my soul's place; joining words together against you, and shaking my head at you:
5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should subside your grief.
I might give you strength with my mouth, and not keep back the comfort of my lips.
6 Though I speak, my grief is not subsided: and though I forbear, what am I eased?
If I say what is in my mind, my pain becomes no less: and if I keep quiet, how much of it goes from me?
7 But now he has made me weary: you have made desolate all my company.
But now he has overcome me with weariness and fear, and I am in the grip of all my trouble.
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.
It has come up as a witness against me, and the wasting of my flesh makes answer to my face.
9 He tears me in his wrath, who hates me: he gnashes upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpens his eyes upon me.
I am broken by his wrath, and his hate has gone after me; he has made his teeth sharp against me: my haters are looking on me with cruel eyes;
10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.
Their mouths are open wide against me; the blows of his bitter words are falling on my face; all of them come together in a mass against me.
11 God has delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.
God gives me over to the power of sinners, sending me violently into the hands of evil-doers.
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 in comfort, but I have been broken up by his hands; he has taken me by the neck, shaking me to bits; he has put me up as a mark for his arrows.
13 His archers compass me round about, he cleaves my reins asunder, and does not spare; he pours out my gall upon the ground.
His bowmen come round about me; their arrows go through my body without mercy; my life is drained out on the earth.
14 He breaks me with breach upon breach, he runs upon me like a giant.
I am broken with wound after wound; he comes rushing on me like a man of war.
15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
I have made haircloth the clothing of my skin, and my horn is rolled in 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 my eyes are becoming dark;
17 Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.
Though my hands have done no violent acts, and my prayer is clean.
18 O earth, cover not you my blood, and let my cry have no place.
O earth, let not my blood be covered, and let my cry have no resting-place!
19 Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.
Even now my witness is in heaven, and the supporter of my cause is on high.
20 My friends scorn me: but mine eye pours out tears unto God.
My friends make sport of me; to God my eyes are weeping,
21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleads for his neighbour!
So that he may give decision for a man in his cause with God, and between a son of man and his neighbour.
22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
For in a short time I will take the journey from which I will not come back.
