Job 16
1 Then Job answered and said,
And Job answers and says:
2 “I have heard many such things; you are all miserable comforters.
“I have heard many such things, Miserable comforters [are] you all.
3 Will useless words ever have an end? What is wrong with you that you answer like this?
Is there an end to words of wind? Or what emboldens you that you answer?
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.
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.
5 I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the quivering of my lips will bring you relief!
I might harden you with my mouth, And the moving of my lips might be sparing.
6 If I speak, my grief is not lessened; if I keep from speaking, how am I helped?
If I speak, my pain is not restrained, And I cease—what goes from me?
7 But now, God, you have made me weary; you have made all my family desolate.
Only, now, it has wearied me; You have desolated all my company,
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.
And You loathe me, For it has been a witness, And my failure rises up against me, It testifies in 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.
His anger has torn, and He hates me, He has gnashed at me with His teeth, My adversary sharpens His eyes for me.
10 People have gaped with open mouth at me; they have hit me reproachfully on the cheek; they have gathered together against me.
They have gaped on me with their mouth, In reproach they have struck my cheeks, Together they set themselves against me.
11 God hands me over to ungodly people, and throws me into the hands of wicked people.
God shuts me up to the perverse, And turns me over to the hands of the wicked.
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 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.
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 archers go around against me. He split my reins, and does not spare, He pours out my gall to the earth.
14 He smashes through my wall again and again; he runs upon me like a warrior.
He breaks me—breach on breach, He runs on me as a mighty one.
15 I have sewn sackcloth on my skin; I have thrust my horn into the ground.
I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, And have rolled my horn in the dust.
16 My face is red with weeping; on my eyelids is the shadow of death
My face is foul with weeping, And on my eyelids [is] death-shade.
17 although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
Not for violence in my hands, And my prayer [is] pure.
18 Earth, do not cover up my blood; let my cry have no resting place.
O earth, do not cover my blood! And let there not be a place for my cry.
19 Even now, see, my witness is in heaven; he who vouches for me is on high.
Also, now, behold, my witness [is] in the heavens, And my testifier in the high places.
20 My friends scoff at me, but my eye pours out tears to God.
My interpreter [is] my friend, My eye has dropped to God;
21 I ask for that witness in heaven to argue for this man with God as a man does with his neighbor!
And He reasons for a man with God, As a son of man for his friend.
22 For when a few years have passed, I will go to a place from where I will not return.
When a few years come, Then I go [on] the path of no return.”
