Job 16

1 Then responded Job, and said: —

Then Job answered, and said:

2 I have heard many such things, Wearisome comforters, are ye all!

I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters.

3 Is there to be an end to windy words? Or what so strongly exciteth thee, that thou must respond?

Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak?

4 I also, like you, could speak, —If your soul were in the place of my soul, I could string together words against you, and could therewith shake over you my head.

I also could speak like you: and would God your soul were for my soul. I would comfort you also with words, and would wag my head over you.

5 I could make you determined, by my mouth, and then my lip-solace should restrain you.

I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as sparing you.

6 Though I do speak, unassuaged is my stinging pain, —And, if I forbear, of what am I relieved?

But what shall I do? If I speak, my pain will not rest: and if I hold my peace, it will not depart from me.

7 But, now, hath he wearied me, thou hast destroyed all my family;

But now my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing.

8 And, having captured me, it hath served, as a witness; and so my wasting away hath risen up against me, in my face, it answereth.

My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting me.

9 His anger, hath torn and persecuted me, He hath gnashed upon me with his teeth, Mine adversary, hath sharpened his eyes for me.

He hath gathered together his fury against me, and threatening me he hath gnashed with his teeth upon me: my enemy hath beheld me with terrible eyes.

10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth, With reproach, have they smitten my cheek, Together, against me, have they closed their ranks.

They have opened their mouths upon me, and reproaching me they have struck me on the cheek, they are filled with my pains.

11 GOD doth abandon me to him that is perverse, and, into the hands of the lawless, he throweth me headlong.

God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked.

12 At ease, was I when he shattered me, Yea he seized me by my neck, and dashed me in pieces, then set me up for himself as a mark:

I that was formerly so wealthy, am all on a sudden broken to pieces: he hath taken me by my neck, he hath broken me, and hath set me up to be his mark.

13 His archers came round against me, He clave asunder my reins, and spared not, He poured out, on the earth, my gall:

He hath compassed me round about with his lances, he hath wounded my loins, he hath not spared, and hath poured out my bowels on the earth.

14 He made a breach in me, breach upon breach, He ran upon me, like a mighty man.

He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant.

15 Sackcloth, sewed I on my skin, and rolled—in the dust—my horn:

I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.

16 My face, is reddened from weeping, and, upon mine eyelashes, is the death-shade: —

My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.

17 Though no violence was in my hands, and, my prayer, was pure.

These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God.

18 O earth! do not cover my blood, and let there be no place for mine outcry.

O earth, cover not thou my blood, neither let my cry find a hiding place in thee.

19 Even now, lo! in the heavens, is my witness,

For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.

20 And, he that voucheth for me is on high. My friends are, they who scorn me, Unto GOD, hath mine eye shed tears: —

My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God.

21 That one might plead, for a man, with GOD, —Even a son of man, for his friend!

And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!

22 When, a few years, come, then, by a path by which I shall not return, shall I depart.

For behold short years pass away and I am walking in a path by which I shall not return.