Job 16

¹Bvt Iob answered, and said,

²I haue oft times heard such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

³Shall there be none ende of wordes of winde? or what maketh thee bold so to answere?

⁴I could also speake as yee doe: (but woulde God your soule were in my soules stead) I could keepe you company in speaking, and could shake mine head at you,

⁵But I woulde strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips should asswage your sorowe.

⁶Though I speake, my sorow can not be asswaged: though I cease, what release haue I?

⁷But now hee maketh mee wearie: O God, thou hast made all my congregation desolate,

⁸And hast made me full of wrinkles which is a witnesse thereof, and my leannes ryseth vp in me, testifying the same in my face.

⁹His wrath hath torne me, and hee hateth me, and gnasheth vpon mee with his teeth: mine enemie hath sharpened his eyes against me.

¹⁰They haue opened their mouthes vpon me, and smitten me on the cheeke in reproch; they gather themselues together against me.

¹¹God hath deliuered me to the vniust, and hath made mee to turne out of the way by the hands of the wicked.

¹²I was in welth, but he hath brought me to nought: he hath taken me by the necke, and beaten me, and set me as a marke for himselfe.

¹³His archers compasse mee rounde about: he cutteth my reines, and doth not spare, and powreth my gall vpon the ground.

¹⁴He hath broken me with one breaking vpon another, and runneth vpon me like a gyant.

¹⁵I haue sowed a sackcloth vpon my skinne, and haue abased mine horne vnto the dust.

¹⁶My face is withered with weeping, and the shadow of death is vpon mine eyes,

¹⁷Though there be no wickednesse in mine hands, and my prayer be pure.

¹⁸O earth, couer not thou my blood, and let my crying finde no place.

¹⁹For lo, now my witnesse is in the heauen, and my record is on hie.

²⁰My friends speake eloquently against me: but mine eye powreth out teares vnto God.

²¹Oh that a man might pleade with God, as man with his neighbour!

²²For the yeeres accounted come, and I shall go the way, whence I shall not returne.

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 emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

⁴I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.

⁵But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

⁶Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: 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 filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.

⁹He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

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

¹¹God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

¹²I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and 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 defiled my horn in the dust.

¹⁶My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

¹⁷Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.

¹⁸O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

¹⁹Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.

²⁰My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

²¹O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

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