Job 16

1 Then Job answered and said,

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 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

Will useless words ever have an end? What is wrong with you that you answer like this?

4 I 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.

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

I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the quivering of my lips will bring you relief!

6 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and [though] I forbear, what am I eased?

If I speak, my grief is not lessened; if I keep from speaking, how am I helped?

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

But now, God, you have made me weary; you have made all my family desolate.

8 And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, [which] is a witness [against me: ] and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.

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 He teareth [me] in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon 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 upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

People have gaped with open mouth at me; they have hit me reproachfully on the cheek; they have gathered together against me.

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

God hands me over to ungodly people, and throws me into the hands of wicked people.

12 I 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.

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

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 with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.

He smashes through my wall again and again; he runs upon me like a warrior.

15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.

I have sewn sackcloth on my skin; I have thrust my horn into the ground.

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

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

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

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

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

Earth, do not cover up my blood; let my cry have no resting place.

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

Even now, see, my witness is in heaven; he who vouches for me is on high.

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

My friends scoff at me, but my eye pours out tears to God.

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

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 are come, then I shall go the way [whence] I shall not return.

For when a few years have passed, I will go to a place from where I will not return.