Job 16
1 Then Job answered,
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 Shall vain words have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer?
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 your soul were in my soul’s place, I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you,
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 but I would strengthen you with my mouth. The solace of my lips would relieve you.
I might give you strength with my mouth, and not keep back the comfort of my lips.
6 “Though I speak, my grief is not subsided. Though I forbear, what am I eased?
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 surely worn me out. You have made all my company desolate.
But now he has overcome me with weariness and fear, and I am in the grip of all my trouble.
8 You have shriveled me up. This is a witness against me. My leanness rises up against me. It testifies to my face.
It has come up as a witness against me, and the wasting of my flesh makes answer to my face.
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.
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 They have gaped on me with their mouth. They have struck me on the cheek reproachfully. They gather themselves 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 delivers me to the ungodly, and casts me into the hands of the wicked.
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. Yes, he has taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces. He has also set me up for 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. He splits my kidneys apart, and does not spare. 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 breaks me with breach on breach. He runs at me like a giant.
I am broken with wound after wound; he comes rushing on me like a man of war.
15 I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and have thrust my horn in the dust.
I have made haircloth the clothing of my skin, and my horn is rolled in the dust.
16 My face is red with weeping. Deep darkness is on my eyelids,
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, don’t cover my blood. Let my cry have no place to rest.
O earth, let not my blood be covered, and let my cry have no resting-place!
19 Even now, behold, 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. My eyes pour out tears to God,
My friends make sport of me; to God my eyes are weeping,
21 that he would maintain the right of a man with God, of a son of man 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 come, I will go the way of no return.
For in a short time I will take the journey from which I will not come back.
