Job 16

1 Job replied,

Then answered Job, and said,

2 “I've heard all this before. You are comforters who just cause trouble!

I have heard many things such as these: troublesome comforters are ye all.

3 Will your windy speeches never cease? What's bothering you that you have to answer me?

Shall there be any end to words of wind? or what compelleth thee that thou shouldst answer?

4 I could talk like you do if you were in my place, stringing words together to criticize you, ridiculing you with a toss of my head.

I also could well speak as ye do: if your soul were but in my soul's stead, I could overwhelm you with words, and could shake my head at you.

5 I could build you up by my mouth speaking words; the movement of my lips would ease your pain.

But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the condolence of my lips should restrain [your grief].

6 For me, if I speak it doesn't ease my pain, and if I don't speak the pain is still there.

Though I were to speak, my pain would not be restrained; and though I should forbear, what will go away from me?

7 God, you have worn me out. You have destroyed my whole family.

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

8 You have made me shrivel up, which is a witness against me; my thin body testifies against me.

And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, they are my witnesses; and my leanness riseth up for me, giveth its testimony to my face.

9 He has torn me apart in his anger; in his hostility he has gnashed his teeth at me; my enemy pierces me with his fierce look.

In his wrath he teareth me to pieces, and assaileth me: he gnasheth over me with his teeth; my adversary sendeth threatening looks at me.

10 People stare at me with their mouths wide open, they slap me on my cheeks to mock me, they crowd around me to attack me.

They now open wide against me their mouth; reproachfully they smite my cheek: altogether do they assemble against me.

11 God has handed me over to evil people; he has thrown me into their hands.

God hath surrendered me to the unjust, and cast me down into the hands of the wicked.

12 I was living in peace and he smashed me to pieces. He grabbed me by the neck and dashed me to pieces. He set me up as his target.

I was at ease, but he hath crushed me; he hath also grasped me by the neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up unto himself as a mark;

13 His archers surround me. His arrows pierce my kidneys without mercy. He pours out my gall on the ground.

His archers encompass me round about; he cleaveth my reins sunder, and doth not pity; he poureth out upon the ground my gall;

14 Like a wall he breaks me down, breach upon breach, rushing at me like a warrior.

He breaketh me down with breach upon breach; he runneth against me like a mighty man.

15 I have sown sackcloth to cover my skin; my strength lies broken in the dust.

Sackcloth have I sewed upon my skin, and my horn I roll in the dust.

16 My face is red from crying and dark shadows surround my eyes,

My face gloweth from weeping, and on my eyelids resteth the shadow of death:

17 although I have done nothing wrong and my prayer is pure.

Not because any violence is in my hands, and while my prayer is pure.

18 Earth, do not cover up my blood. May my cry find no place to hide.

Earth! do thou not cover up my blood, and let no place restrain my cry.

19 Look, right now my witness is in heaven; the one who speaks for me is on high.

Even now, behold, my witness is in the heavens, and one that testifieth for me is on high.

20 My friends scorn me, but my eyes pour out tears to God.

Are my friends my defenders? unto God my eye poureth out [its tears].

21 I want my witness to speak for me with God as someone does for their friend.

And oh that a man might plead with God, as one son of earth with the other!

22 For in a few short years I shall go down that road from which I shall not return.

For when the numbered years are passed, then must I travel a path whence I cannot return.