Job 16
1 Then Job answered and said,
And Job answers and says:
2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters [are] ye all.
“I have heard many such things, Miserable comforters [are] you all.
3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?
Is there an end to words of wind? Or what emboldens you that you answer?
4 I also could speak as ye [do]: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake my head at you.
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 [But] I would strengthen you with my mouth and the moving of my lips should assuage [your grief].
I might harden you with my mouth, And the moving of my lips might be sparing.
6 Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged: and [though] I forbear, what am I eased?
If I speak, my pain is not restrained, And I cease—what goes from me?
7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.
Only, now, it has wearied me; You have desolated all my company,
8 And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, [which] is a witness [against me]: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to 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 He teareth [me] in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; my enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
His anger has torn, and He hates me, He has gnashed at me with His teeth, My adversary sharpens His eyes for me.
10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves 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 hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.
God shuts me up to the perverse, And turns me over to the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken [me] by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.
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 encompass me; he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon 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 breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.
He breaks me—breach on breach, He runs on me as a mighty one.
15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, And have rolled my horn in the dust.
16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids [are] the shades of death;
My face is foul with weeping, And on my eyelids [is] death-shade.
17 Not for [any] injustice in my hands: also my prayer [is] pure.
Not for violence in my hands, And my prayer [is] pure.
18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.
O earth, do not cover my blood! And let there not be a place for my cry.
19 Also now, behold, my witness [is] in heaven, and my record [is] on high.
Also, now, behold, my witness [is] in the heavens, And my testifier in the high places.
20 My friends scorn me: [but] my eye poureth out [tears] to God.
My interpreter [is] my friend, My eye has dropped to God;
21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man [pleadeth] for his neighbor!
And He reasons for a man with God, As a son of man for his friend.
22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way [whence] I shall not return.
When a few years come, Then I go [on] the path of no return.”
