Job 16

1 Then Job answered and said,

Then Job, answering, said:

2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

I have often heard such things; you are all aggravating comforters.

3 Shall vain words have an end? or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?

Will there be no end to windy words? Or is it at all a burden to you, if you speak?

4 I also could speak as ye do; if your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could join words together against you, and shake mine head at you.

I, too, can speak like you; and I also wish that your soul favored my soul. I would also comfort you with speeches and would wag my head over you.

5 [But] I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips should assuage [your grief].

I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as if being lenient to you.

6 Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?

But what can I do? When I am speaking, my grief will not be quiet; and if I am quiet, it will not withdraw from me.

7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.

But now my grief has crushed me, and all my limbs have been reduced to nothing.

8 And thou hast laid fast hold on me, [which] is a witness [against me]: and my leanness riseth up against me, it testifieth to my face.

My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a liar rises up against my face, contradicting me.

9 He hath torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me; he hath gnashed upon me with his teeth: mine adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

He has gathered together his fury towards me, and, threatening me, he has roared against me with his teeth; my enemy has beheld me with terrible eyes.

10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully: they gather themselves together against me.

They have opened their mouths against me, and, reproaching me, they have struck me on the cheek; they are nourished by my sufferings.

11 God delivereth me to the ungodly, and casteth me into the hands of the wicked.

God has confined me with the immoral, and he has delivered me into the hands of the impious.

12 I was at ease, and he brake me asunder; yea, he hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces: he hath also set me up for his mark.

I, who once was wealthy, am now crushed. He has grabbed me by my neck; he has broken me and has placed me before him as a sign.

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 has surrounded me with his lances. He has severely wounded my lower back, he has not been lenient, and he has poured out my organs upon the earth.

14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach; he runneth upon me like a giant.

He has cut me with wound after wound. He has rushed upon me like a giant.

15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and have laid my horn in the dust.

I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, and I have covered my body with ashes.

16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

My face is swollen from weeping, and my eyelids have dimmed my vision.

17 Although there is no violence in mine hands, and my prayer is pure.

These things I have endured without iniquity in my hand, while I held pure prayers before God.

18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no [resting] place.

O earth, do not conceal my blood, nor let my outcry find a hiding place in you.

19 Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he that coucheth for me is on high.

For behold, my witness is in heaven, and my confidante is on high.

20 My friends scorn me: [but] mine eye poureth out tears unto God;

My friends are full of words; my eye rains tears upon God.

21 That he would maintain the right of a man with God, and of a son of man with his neighbour!

And I wish that a man might be so judged before God, just as the son of man is judged with his assistant!

22 For when a few years are come, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

For behold, a few years pass by, and I am walking a path by which I will not return.