Job 16

1 And Job answereth and saith: —

Bvt Iob answered, and said,

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

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

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

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

4 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.

I 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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12 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.

I 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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