Job 16

World English Bible

¹Then Job answered,

¹Then Job answered and said,

²“I have heard many such things. You are all miserable comforters!

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

³Shall vain words have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer?

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

⁴I also could speak as you do. If your soul were in my soul’s place, I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you,

⁴I 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.

⁵but I would strengthen you with my mouth. The solace of my lips would relieve you.

⁵But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

⁶“Though I speak, my grief is not subsided. Though I forbear, what am I eased?

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

⁷But now, God, you have surely worn me out. You have made all my company desolate.

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

⁸You have shriveled me up. This is a witness against me. My leanness rises up against me. It testifies to my face.

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

⁹He has torn me in his wrath and persecuted me. He has gnashed on me with his teeth. My adversary sharpens his eyes on me.

⁹He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

¹⁰They have gaped on me with their mouth. They have struck me on the cheek reproachfully. They gather themselves together against me.

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

¹¹God delivers me to the ungodly, and casts me into the hands of the wicked.

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

¹²I was at ease, and he broke me apart. Yes, he has taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces. He has also set me up for his target.

¹²I 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.

¹³His archers surround me. He splits my kidneys apart, and does not spare. He pours out my bile on the ground.

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

¹⁴He breaks me with breach on breach. He runs at me like a giant.

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

¹⁵I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and have thrust my horn in the dust.

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

¹⁶My face is red with weeping. Deep darkness is on my eyelids,

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

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

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

¹⁸“Earth, don’t cover my blood. Let my cry have no place to rest.

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

¹⁹Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven. He who vouches for me is on high.

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

²⁰My friends scoff at me. My eyes pour out tears to God,

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

²¹that he would maintain the right of a man with God, of a son of man with his neighbor!

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

²²For when a few years have come, I will go the way of no return.

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