Job 16
1 And Job answers and says:
But Job answered and said:
2 “I have heard many such things, Miserable comforters [are] you all.
Of such things as these I have heard enough! Miserable comforters are ye all!
3 Is there an end to words of wind? Or what emboldens you that you answer?
Will there ever be an end to words of wind? What stirreth thee up, that thou answerest?
4 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.
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 I might harden you with my mouth, And the moving of my lips might be sparing.
I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the consolation of my lips should sustain you.
6 If I speak, my pain is not restrained, And I cease—what goes from me?
If I speak, my grief is not assuaged; And if I forbear, it doth not leave me.
7 Only, now, it has wearied me; You have desolated all my company,
For now He hath quite exhausted me; Thou hast desolated all my house!
8 And You loathe me, For it has been a witness, And my failure rises up against me, It testifies in 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 His anger has torn, and He hates me, He has gnashed at me with His teeth, My adversary sharpens His eyes for 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 on me with their mouth, In reproach they have struck my cheeks, Together they set themselves 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 shuts me up to the perverse, And turns me over to 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 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.
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 go around against me. He split my reins, and does not spare, He pours out my gall to the earth.
His archers encompass me around; He pierceth my reins, and doth not spare; He poureth out my gall upon the ground.
14 He breaks me—breach on breach, He runs on me as a mighty one.
He breaketh me with breach upon breach; He rusheth upon me like a warrior.
15 I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, And have rolled 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] death-shade.
My face is red with weeping, And upon my eyelids is deathlike darkness.
17 Not for violence in my hands, And my prayer [is] pure.
Yet is there no injustice in my bands. And my prayer hath been pure.
18 O earth, do not cover my blood! And let there not be a place for my cry.
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 the heavens, And my testifier in the high places.
Yet even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And he who knoweth me is on high.
20 My interpreter [is] my friend, My eye has dropped to God;
My friends have me in derision, But my eye poureth out tears unto God.
21 And He reasons for a man with God, As a son of man for his friend.
O that one might contend for a man with God, As a man contendeth with his neighbor!
22 When a few years come, Then I go [on] the path of no return.”
For when a few years shall have passed, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
