Job 16
1 Then Job answered,
And Job answereth and saith: —
2 “I have heard many such things. You are all miserable comforters!
I have heard many such things, Miserable comforters [are] ye all.
3 Shall vain words have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer?
Is there an end to words of wind? Or what doth embolden thee that thou answerest?
4 I also could speak as you do. If your soul were in my soul’s place, I could join words together 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. The solace of my lips would relieve you.
I might harden you with my mouth, And the moving of my lips might be sparing.
6 “Though I speak, my grief is not subsided. Though I forbear, what am I eased?
If I speak, my pain is not restrained, And I cease — what goeth from me?
7 But now, God, you have surely worn me out. You have made all my company desolate.
Only, now, it hath wearied me; Thou hast desolated all my company,
8 You have shriveled me up. This is a witness against me. My leanness rises up against me. It testifies to my face.
And Thou dost loathe me, For a witness it hath been, And rise up against me doth my failure, In my face it testifieth.
9 He has torn me in his wrath and persecuted me. He has gnashed on me with his teeth. My adversary sharpens his eyes on me.
His anger hath torn, and he hateth me, He hath gnashed at me with his teeth, My adversary sharpeneth his eyes for me.
10 They have gaped on me with their mouth. They have struck me on the cheek reproachfully. They gather themselves together against me.
They have gaped on me with their mouth, In reproach they have smitten my cheeks, Together against me they set themselves.
11 God delivers me to the ungodly, and casts me into the hands of the wicked.
God shutteth me up unto the perverse, And to the hands of the wicked turneth me over.
12 I was at ease, and he broke me apart. Yes, he has taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces. He has also set me up for his target.
At ease I have been, and he breaketh me, And he hath laid hold on my neck, And he breaketh me in pieces, And he raiseth me to him for a mark.
13 His archers surround me. He splits my kidneys apart, and does not spare. He pours out my bile on the ground.
Go round against me do his archers. He splitteth my reins, and spareth not, He poureth out to the earth my gall.
14 He breaks me with breach on breach. He runs at me like a giant.
He breaketh me — breach upon breach, He runneth upon me as a mighty one.
15 I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and have thrust my horn in the dust.
Sackcloth I have sewed on my skin, And have rolled in the dust my horn.
16 My face is red with weeping. Deep darkness is on my eyelids,
My face is foul with weeping, And on mine 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, don’t cover my blood. Let my cry have no place to rest.
O earth, do not thou cover my blood! And let there not be a place for my cry.
19 Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven. He who vouches for me is on high.
Also, now, lo, in the heavens [is] my witness, And my testifier in the high places.
20 My friends scoff at me. My eyes pour out tears to God,
My interpreter [is] my friend, Unto God hath mine eye dropped:
21 that he would maintain the right of a man with God, of a son of man with his neighbor!
And he reasoneth for a man with God, And a son of man for his friend.
22 For when a few years have come, I will go the way of no return.
When a few years do come, Then a path I return not do I go.
