Job 16

¹And Job made answer and said,

²Such things have frequently come to my ears: you are comforters who only give trouble.

³May words which are like the wind be stopped? or what is troubling you to make answer to them?

⁴It 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:

⁵I might give you strength with my mouth, and not keep back the comfort of my lips.

⁶If I say what is in my mind, my pain becomes no less: and if I keep quiet, how much of it goes from me?

⁷But now he has overcome me with weariness and fear, and I am in the grip of all my trouble.

⁸It has come up as a witness against me, and the wasting of my flesh makes answer to my face.

⁹I 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;

¹⁰Their 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.

¹¹God gives me over to the power of sinners, sending me violently into the hands of evil-doers.

¹²I 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.

¹³His bowmen come round about me; their arrows go through my body without mercy; my life is drained out on the earth.

¹⁴I am broken with wound after wound; he comes rushing on me like a man of war.

¹⁵I have made haircloth the clothing of my skin, and my horn is rolled in the dust.

¹⁶My face is red with weeping, and my eyes are becoming dark;

¹⁷Though my hands have done no violent acts, and my prayer is clean.

¹⁸O earth, let not my blood be covered, and let my cry have no resting-place!

¹⁹Even now my witness is in heaven, and the supporter of my cause is on high.

²⁰My friends make sport of me; to God my eyes are weeping,

²¹So that he may give decision for a man in his cause with God, and between a son of man and his neighbour.

²²For in a short time I will take the journey from which I will not come back.

Job 16

¹Then Job answered,

²"I have heard many such things. You are all miserable comforters!

³Shall vain words have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer?

⁴I 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,

⁵but I would strengthen you with my mouth. The solace of my lips would relieve you.

⁶"Though I speak, my grief is not subsided. Though I forbear, what am I eased?

⁷But now, God, you have surely worn me out. You have made desolate all my company.

⁸You have shriveled me up. This is a witness against me. My leanness rises up against me. It testifies to my face.

⁹He has torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me. He has gnashed on me with his teeth. My adversary sharpens his eyes on me.

¹⁰They have gaped on me with their mouth. They have struck me on the cheek reproachfully. They gather themselves together against me.

¹¹God delivers me to the ungodly, and casts me into the hands of the wicked.

¹²I 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.

¹³His archers surround me. He splits my kidneys apart, and does not spare. He pours out my gall on the ground.

¹⁴He breaks me with breach on breach. He runs on me like a giant.

¹⁵I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and have thrust my horn in the dust.

¹⁶My face is red with weeping. Deep darkness is on my eyelids.

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

¹⁸"Earth, do not cover my blood. Let my cry have no place to rest.

¹⁹Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven. He who vouches for me is on high.

²⁰My friends scoff at me. My eyes pour out tears to God,

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

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