Job 16
1 And Job answereth and saith: —
Then Job answered and said,
2 I have heard many such things, Miserable comforters [are] ye all.
“I have heard many such things; you are all miserable comforters.
3 Is there an end to words of wind? Or what doth embolden thee that thou answerest?
Will useless words ever have an end? What is wrong with you that you answer like this?
4 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.
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.
5 I might harden you with my mouth, And the moving of my lips might be sparing.
I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the quivering of my lips will bring you relief!
6 If I speak, my pain is not restrained, And I cease — what goeth from me?
If I speak, my grief is not lessened; if I keep from speaking, how am I helped?
7 Only, now, it hath wearied me; Thou hast desolated all my company,
But now, God, you have made me weary; you have made all my family desolate.
8 And Thou dost loathe me, For a witness it hath been, And rise up against me doth my failure, In my face it testifieth.
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.
9 His anger hath torn, and he hateth me, He hath gnashed at me with his teeth, My adversary sharpeneth his eyes for me.
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.
10 They have gaped on me with their mouth, In reproach they have smitten my cheeks, Together against me they set themselves.
People have gaped with open mouth at me; they have hit me reproachfully on the cheek; they have gathered together against me.
11 God shutteth me up unto the perverse, And to the hands of the wicked turneth me over.
God hands me over to ungodly people, and throws me into the hands of wicked people.
12 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.
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.
13 Go round against me do his archers. He splitteth my reins, and spareth not, He poureth out to the earth my gall.
His archers surround me all around; God pierces my kidneys and does not spare me; he pours out my bile on the ground.
14 He breaketh me — breach upon breach, He runneth upon me as a mighty one.
He smashes through my wall again and again; he runs upon me like a warrior.
15 Sackcloth I have sewed on my skin, And have rolled in the dust my horn.
I have sewn sackcloth on my skin; I have thrust my horn into the ground.
16 My face is foul with weeping, And on mine eyelids [is] death-shade.
My face is red with weeping; on my eyelids is the shadow of death
17 Not for violence in my hands, And my prayer [is] pure.
although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
18 O earth, do not thou cover my blood! And let there not be a place for my cry.
Earth, do not cover up my blood; let my cry have no resting place.
19 Also, now, lo, in the heavens [is] my witness, And my testifier in the high places.
Even now, see, my witness is in heaven; he who vouches for me is on high.
20 My interpreter [is] my friend, Unto God hath mine eye dropped:
My friends scoff at me, but my eye pours out tears to God.
21 And he reasoneth for a man with God, And a son of man for his friend.
I ask for that witness in heaven to argue for this man with God as a man does with his neighbor!
22 When a few years do come, Then a path I return not do I go.
For when a few years have passed, I will go to a place from where I will not return.
