Job 16

1 Then Job answered and said,

And Job answereth and saith: —

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

I have heard many such things, Miserable comforters [are] ye all.

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

Is there an end to words of wind? Or what doth embolden thee that thou answerest?

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

I also, like you, might speak, If your soul were in my soul's stead. I might join against you with words, And nod at you with my head.

5 [But] I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips should assuage [your grief].

I might harden you with my mouth, And the moving of my lips might be sparing.

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

If I speak, my pain is not restrained, And I cease — what goeth from me?

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

Only, now, it hath wearied me; Thou hast desolated all my company,

8 And 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.

And Thou dost loathe me, For a witness it hath been, And rise up against me doth my failure, In my face it testifieth.

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

His anger hath torn, and he hateth me, He hath gnashed at me with his teeth, My adversary sharpeneth his eyes for me.

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

They have gaped on me with their mouth, In reproach they have smitten my cheeks, Together against me they set themselves.

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

God shutteth me up unto the perverse, And to the hands of the wicked turneth me over.

12 I 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.

At ease I have been, and he breaketh me, And he hath laid hold on my neck, And he breaketh me in pieces, And he raiseth me to him for a mark.

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

Go round against me do his archers. He splitteth my reins, and spareth not, He poureth out to the earth my gall.

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

He breaketh me — breach upon breach, He runneth upon me as a mighty one.

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

Sackcloth I have sewed on my skin, And have rolled in the dust my horn.

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

My face is foul with weeping, And on mine eyelids [is] death-shade.

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

Not for violence in my hands, And my prayer [is] pure.

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

O earth, do not thou cover my blood! And let there not be a place for my cry.

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

Also, now, lo, in the heavens [is] my witness, And my testifier in the high places.

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

My interpreter [is] my friend, Unto God hath mine eye dropped:

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

And he reasoneth for a man with God, And a son of man for his friend.

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

When a few years do come, Then a path I return not do I go.