Job 16
1 Then Job answered and said,
But Job answered and said:
2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters [are] ye all.
Of such things as these I have heard enough! Miserable comforters are ye all!
3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?
Will there ever be an end to words of wind? What stirreth thee up, that thou answerest?
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 might speak like you, If ye were now in my place; I might string together words against you, And shake my head at you.
5 [But] I would strengthen you with my mouth and the moving of my lips should assuage [your grief].
I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the consolation of my lips should sustain you.
6 Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged: and [though] I forbear, what am I eased?
If I speak, my grief is not assuaged; And if I forbear, it doth not leave me.
7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.
For now He hath quite exhausted me; Thou hast desolated all my house!
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.
Thou hast seized hold of me, and this is a witness against me; My leanness riseth up and testifieth against me to 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 teareth my flesh, and pursueth me; He gnasheth upon me with his teeth; My adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon 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 gape for me with their mouths; In scorn they smite me on the cheek; With one consent they assemble against me.
11 God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.
God hath given me a prey to the unrighteous, And delivered me into 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 was at ease, but he hath crushed me; He hath seized me by the neck, and dashed me in pieces; He hath set me up for his 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 encompass me around; He pierceth my reins, and doth not spare; He poureth out my gall upon the ground.
14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.
He breaketh me with breach upon breach; He rusheth upon me like a warrior.
15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, And thrust my horn into the dust.
16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids [are] the shades of death;
My face is red with weeping, And upon my eyelids is deathlike darkness.
17 Not for [any] injustice in my hands: also my prayer [is] pure.
Yet is there no injustice in my bands. And my prayer hath been pure.
18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.
O earth! cover not thou my blood, And let there be no hiding-place for my cry!
19 Also now, behold, my witness [is] in heaven, and my record [is] on high.
Yet even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And he who knoweth me is on high.
20 My friends scorn me: [but] my eye poureth out [tears] to God.
My friends have me in derision, But my eye poureth out tears unto God.
21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man [pleadeth] for his neighbor!
O that one might contend for a man with God, As a man contendeth with his neighbor!
22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way [whence] I shall not return.
For when a few years shall have passed, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
