Job 16
1 But Job answered and said,
But Job answered and said:
2 I have heard many such things: poor comforters are you all.
Of such things as these I have heard enough! Miserable comforters are ye all!
3 What! is there any reason in vain words? or what will hinder you from answering?
Will there ever be an end to words of wind? What stirreth thee up, that thou answerest?
4 I also will speak as you [do]: if indeed your soul were in my [soul's] stead, then would I insult you with words, and I would shake my 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 And would there were strength in my mouth, and I would not spare the movement of my lips.
I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the consolation of my lips should sustain you.
6 For if I should speak, I shall not feel the pain of my wound: and if I should be silent, how shall I be wounded the less?
If I speak, my grief is not assuaged; And if I forbear, it doth not leave me.
7 But now he has made me weary, and a worn-out fool; and you have laid hold of me.
For now He hath quite exhausted me; Thou hast desolated all my house!
8 My falsehood has become a testimony, and has risen up against me: it has confronted me 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 In his anger he has cast me down; he has gnashed his teeth upon me: the weapons of his robbers have fallen 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 He has attacked me with the keen glances of his eyes; with his sharp [spear] he has struck me [down] upon my knees; and they have run upon me with one accord.
They gape for me with their mouths; In scorn they smite me on the cheek; With one consent they assemble against me.
11 For the Lord has delivered me into the hands of unrighteous men, and thrown me upon the ungodly.
God hath given me a prey to the unrighteous, And delivered me into the hands of the wicked.
12 When I was at peace he distracted me: he took me by the hair of the head, and plucked it out: he set me up as a 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 They surrounded me with spears, aiming at my reins: without sparing [me] they poured 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 They overthrew me with fall upon fall: they ran upon me in [their] might.
He breaketh me with breach upon breach; He rusheth upon me like a warrior.
15 They sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and my strength has been spent on the ground.
I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, And thrust my horn into the dust.
16 My belly has been parched with wailing, and darkness is on my eyelids.
My face is red with weeping, And upon my eyelids is deathlike darkness.
17 Yet there was no injustice in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
Yet is there no injustice in my bands. And my prayer hath been pure.
18 Earth, cover not over the blood of my flesh, 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 And now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high.
Yet even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And he who knoweth me is on high.
20 Let my supplication come to the Lord, and let mine eye weep before him.
My friends have me in derision, But my eye poureth out tears unto God.
21 Oh that a man might plead before the Lord, even [as] the son of man with his neighbor!
O that one might contend for a man with God, As a man contendeth with his neighbor!
22 But my years are numbered and [their end] come, and I shall go by the way by which I shall not return.
For when a few years shall have passed, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
