Job 16

¹Then Job answered and said,

²I have heard many such things: Miserable comforters are ye all.

³Shall vain words have an end? Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?

⁴I also could speak as ye do; If your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could join words together against you, And shake my head at you.

⁵But I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the solace of my lips would assuage your grief.

⁶Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged; And though I forbear, what am I eased?

⁷But now he hath made me weary: Thou hast made desolate all my company.

⁸And thou hast laid fast hold on me, which is a witness against me: And my leanness riseth up against me, It testifieth to my face.

⁹He hath torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me; He hath gnashed upon me with his teeth: Mine adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

¹⁰They have gaped upon me with their mouth; They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully: They gather themselves together against me.

¹¹God delivereth me to the ungodly, And casteth me into the hands of the wicked.

¹²I was at ease, and he brake me asunder; Yea, he hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces: He hath also set me up for his mark.

¹³His archers compass me round about; He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; He poureth out my gall upon the ground.

¹⁴He breaketh me with breach upon breach; He runneth upon me like a giant.

¹⁵I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, And have laid my horn in the dust.

¹⁶My face is red with weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

¹⁷Although there is no violence in my hands, And my prayer is pure.

¹⁸O earth, cover not thou my blood, And let my cry have noresting-place.

¹⁹Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And he that voucheth for me is on high.

²⁰My friends scoff at me: But mine eye poureth out tears unto God,

²¹That he would maintain the right of a man with God, And of a son of man with his neighbor!

²²For when a few years are come, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

¹Then Job answered:

²“I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all.

³Is there no end to your long-winded speeches? What provokes you to continue testifying?

⁴I could also speak like you if you were in my place; I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you.

⁵But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would bring relief.

⁶Even if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I hold back, how will it go away?

⁷Surely He has now exhausted me; You have devastated all my family.

⁸You have bound me, and it has become a witness; my frailty rises up and testifies against me.

⁹His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes.

¹⁰They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me.

¹¹God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked.

¹²I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target;

¹³His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and spills my gall on the ground.

¹⁴He breaks me with wound upon wound; He rushes me like a mighty warrior.

¹⁵I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my horn in the dust.

¹⁶My face is red with weeping, and deep shadows ring my eyes;

¹⁷yet my hands are free of violence and my prayer is pure.

¹⁸O earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help never be laid to rest.

¹⁹Even now my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high.

²⁰My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God.

²¹Oh, that a man might plead with God as he pleads with his neighbor!

²²For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return.