Job, 16

1. Then Job answered and said,

1. Then Job answered:

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

2. I have heard many such things. What miserable comforters you are!

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

3. When will your airy words end? What ails you and keeps you arguing?

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.

4. I too could talk as you do, if you were in my place; I could declaim over you and shake my head at you.

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

5. I would give you strength, and comfort you with words.

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

6. Yet if I talk, my suffering is not eased, if I refrain, it does not go far from me.

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

7. I am upset with such ill will; an evil band

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.

8. takes hold of me. They stand to testify against me; and answer me with slanders.

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

9. They assail me with fury and gnash their teeth at me; my enemies lord it over me.

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

10. With open mouths they jeer at me; they strike my cheek, and together they mass themselves against me.

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

11. God has given me over to evil men and cast me into the clutches of the wicked.

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.

12. All was well until he shattered me, but he seized me and dashed me to pieces. Having set me up for a 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.

13. he had his arrows pointed at me, striking from every direction, piercing my sides without pity, spilling my gall on the ground.

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

14. Like a warrior he bears down on me, thrusting me unceasingly.

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

15. I have fastened sackcloth over my skin and buried my brow in dust.

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

16. My face is red with weeping, deep shadows ring my eyes;

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

17. yet my hands are free of violence, and my prayer sincere.

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

18. O earth, do not cover my blood; let not my cry come to rest!

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

19. Even now my witness is in heaven and my defender is on high.

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

20. Now my prayer has gone up to God as I poured out my tears before him.

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

21. Would that man could discuss with God as he does with his fellows.

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

22. My years are numbered, and soon I will take the road of no return.