Job 16

1 Job replied [to Eliphaz and the others: ]

Then Job answered, and said:

2 “I have heard things like that before; all of you, [instead of helping me, ] are only causing me to feel more miserable.

I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters.

3 Will your speeches, which are only hot air, never end [RHQ]? Eliphaz, what bothers/irritates you so much that you continue replying to me?

Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak?

4 If it were you [three and not I] who were suffering, I could say the things that you are saying; I could make great speeches [to criticize/condemn you], and I could shake my head at you [to ridicule 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, [unlike all of you, ] with what I said [MTY] I would encourage you and try to cause your pain to be less.

I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as sparing you.

6 “But now, if I talk, my pain does not decrease, and if I am silent, my pain still certainly does not [RHQ] go away.

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 God has now taken away all my strength, and he has destroyed my family.

But now my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing.

8 He has shriveled me up, and people think that shows that I [am a sinner]. And people see that I am only skin and bones, and they think that proves that I [am guilty].

My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting me.

9 Because God is very angry with me and hates me, [it is as though he is a wild animal that] [MET] has gnashed his teeth at me because he is my enemy.

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 People gape/stare at me with their mouths open [to sneer at me]; they have struck me on the face/cheek to ridicule me, and they crowd around me to threaten 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 [It is as though] God has handed me over to ungodly people and turned me over to the wicked [DOU].

God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked.

12 Previously, I was living peacefully, but he crushed me; [it is as though] he grabbed my neck and smashed me to pieces. [It is as though] [MET] he set me up like a target;

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 people are surrounding me [and shooting arrows at me]. His arrows pierce my kidneys and cause the bile [from my liver] to spill onto the ground, and God does not pity me at all.

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 [It is as though] [MET] I am a wall that he is breaking through; he rushes at me like [SIM] a soldier [attacking his enemies].

He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant.

15 [“Because I am mourning, ] I wear pieces of rough cloth that I have sewed together, and I sit [here] in the dirt, very depressed/discouraged.

I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.

16 My face is red because I have cried very much, and there are dark circles around my eyes.

My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.

17 [All this has happened to me] even though I have not acted violently [toward anyone], and I [always] pray sincerely/honestly [to God].

These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God.

18 [When I die, ] I want the ground [APO] to [act as though I had been murdered and] cry out against those who killed me, and I do not want anyone to stop me while I am demanding [that God act justly toward] me.

O earth, cover not thou my blood, neither let my cry find a hiding place in thee.

19 But even now, [I know that] there is someone in heaven who will testify for me, and he will say that what I have done is right.

For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.

20 My [three] friends scorn/ridicule me, but my eyes are full of tears [while I cry out] to God.

My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God.

21 I pray that [the] one [who knows what I have done] would come to plead with God for me like people plead for their friends.

And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!

22 [I say this because] within a few years [I will die]; I will walk along the [to the grave] from which I will never return.”

For behold short years pass away and I am walking in a path by which I shall not return.