Job 16
1 Then Job answered and said,
And Job made answer and said,
2 “I have heard many such things; you are all miserable comforters.
Such things have frequently come to my ears: you are comforters who only give trouble.
3 Will useless words ever have an end? What is wrong with you that you answer like this?
May words which are like the wind be stopped? or what is troubling you to make answer to them?
4 I also could speak as you do, if you were in my place; I could collect and join words together against you and shake my head at you in mockery.
It would not be hard for me to say such things if your souls were in my soul's place; joining words together against you, and shaking my head at you:
5 I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the quivering of my lips will bring you relief!
I might give you strength with my mouth, and not keep back the comfort of my lips.
6 If I speak, my grief is not lessened; if I keep from speaking, how am I helped?
If I say what is in my mind, my pain becomes no less: and if I keep quiet, how much of it goes from me?
7 But now, God, you have made me weary; you have made all my family desolate.
But now he has overcome me with weariness and fear, and I am in the grip of all my trouble.
8 You have made me dry up, which itself is a witness against me; the leanness of my body rises up against me, and it testifies against my face.
It has come up as a witness against me, and the wasting of my flesh makes answer to my face.
9 God has torn me in his wrath and persecuted me; He grinds his teeth in rage; my enemy fastens his eyes on me as he tears me apart.
I am broken by his wrath, and his hate has gone after me; he has made his teeth sharp against me: my haters are looking on me with cruel eyes;
10 People have gaped with open mouth at me; they have hit me reproachfully on the cheek; they have gathered together against me.
Their mouths are open wide against me; the blows of his bitter words are falling on my face; all of them come together in a mass against me.
11 God hands me over to ungodly people, and throws me into the hands of wicked people.
God gives me over to the power of sinners, sending me violently into the hands of evil-doers.
12 I was at ease, and he broke me apart. Indeed, he has taken me by the neck and dashed me to pieces; he has also set me up as his target.
I was in comfort, but I have been broken up by his hands; he has taken me by the neck, shaking me to bits; he has put me up as a mark for his arrows.
13 His archers surround me all around; God pierces my kidneys and does not spare me; he pours out my bile on the ground.
His bowmen come round about me; their arrows go through my body without mercy; my life is drained out on the earth.
14 He smashes through my wall again and again; he runs upon me like a warrior.
I am broken with wound after wound; he comes rushing on me like a man of war.
15 I have sewn sackcloth on my skin; I have thrust my horn into the ground.
I have made haircloth the clothing of my skin, and my horn is rolled in the dust.
16 My face is red with weeping; on my eyelids is the shadow of death
My face is red with weeping, and my eyes are becoming dark;
17 although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
Though my hands have done no violent acts, and my prayer is clean.
18 Earth, do not cover up my blood; let my cry have no resting place.
O earth, let not my blood be covered, and let my cry have no resting-place!
19 Even now, see, my witness is in heaven; he who vouches for me is on high.
Even now my witness is in heaven, and the supporter of my cause is on high.
20 My friends scoff at me, but my eye pours out tears to God.
My friends make sport of me; to God my eyes are weeping,
21 I ask for that witness in heaven to argue for this man with God as a man does with his neighbor!
So that he may give decision for a man in his cause with God, and between a son of man and his neighbour.
22 For when a few years have passed, I will go to a place from where I will not return.
For in a short time I will take the journey from which I will not come back.
