Job 16
1 Then Job answered and said,
Then Job answered, and said:
2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters [are] ye all.
I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters.
3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?
Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak?
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 could speak like you: and would God your soul were for my soul. I would comfort you also with words, and would wag my head over 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 would move my lips, as sparing you.
6 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and [though] I forbear, what am I eased?
But what shall I do? If I speak, my pain will not rest: and if I hold my peace, it will not depart from me.
7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.
But now my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing.
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.
My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting me.
9 He teareth [me] in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
He hath gathered together his fury against me, and threatening me he hath gnashed with his teeth upon me: my enemy hath beheld me with terrible 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.
They have opened their mouths upon me, and reproaching me they have struck me on the cheek, they are filled with my pains.
11 God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.
God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath 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 that was formerly so wealthy, am all on a sudden broken to pieces: he hath taken me by my neck, he hath broken me, and hath set me up to be 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.
He hath compassed me round about with his lances, he hath wounded my loins, he hath not spared, and hath poured out my bowels on the earth.
14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.
He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant.
15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.
16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids [is] the shadow of death;
My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.
17 Not for [any] injustice in mine hands: also my prayer [is] pure.
These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God.
18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.
O earth, cover not thou my blood, neither let my cry find a hiding place in thee.
19 Also now, behold, my witness [is] in heaven, and my record [is] on high.
For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.
20 My friends scorn me: [but] mine eye poureth out [tears] unto God.
My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God.
21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man [pleadeth] for his neighbour!
And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!
22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way [whence] I shall not return.
For behold short years pass away and I am walking in a path by which I shall not return.
