Job 16

1Then Job answered, and said:

1And Job answered and said,

1Then Job answered and said,

2I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters.

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

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

3Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak?

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

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

4I also could speak like you: and would God your soul were for my soul.

4I also could speak as ye: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could join together words 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.

5I would comfort you also with words, and would wag my head over you.

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

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

6I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as sparing you.

6If I speak, my pain is not assuaged; and if I forbear, what am I eased?

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

7But what shall I do? If I speak, my pain will not rest: and if I hold my peace, it will not depart from me.

7But now he hath made me weary; ...thou hast made desolate all my family;

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

8But now my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing.

8Thou hast shrivelled me up! it is become a witness; and my leanness riseth up against me, it beareth witness 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.

9My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting me.

9His anger teareth and pursueth me; he gnasheth with his teeth against me; [as] mine adversary he sharpeneth his eyes at me.

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

10He 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.

10They gape upon me with their mouth; they smite my cheeks reproachfully; they range 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.

11They have opened their mouths upon me, and reproaching me they have struck me on the cheek, they are filled with my pains.

11God hath delivered me over to the iniquitous man, and hurled me into the hands of the wicked.

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

12God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked.

12I was at rest, but he hath shattered me; he hath taken me by the neck and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

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.

13I 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.

13His arrows encompass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon 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 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,

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

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

15He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant.

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

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

16I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.

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

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

17My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.

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.

18These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God.

18O earth, cover not my blood, and let there be no place for my cry!

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

19O earth, cover not thou my blood, neither let my cry find a hiding place in thee.

19Even now, behold, my Witness is in the heavens, and he that voucheth for me is in the heights.

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

20For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.

20My friends are my mockers; mine eye poureth out tears untoGod.

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

21My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God.

21Oh that there were arbitration for a man withGod, as a son of man for his friend!

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

22And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!

22For years [few] in number shall pass, — and I shall go the way [whence] I shall not return.

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

23For behold short years pass away, and I am walking in a path by which I shall not return.

23(not in this translation)

23(not in this translation)