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Job 16
KJV
King James Version · 1611
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949
2I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.
2Such things have frequently come to my ears: you are comforters who only give trouble.
3Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?
3May words which are like the wind be stopped? or what is troubling you to make answer to them?
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.
4It would not be hard for me to say such things if your souls were in my soul's place; joining words together against you, and shaking my head at you:
5But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.
5I might give you strength with my mouth, and not keep back the comfort of my lips.
6Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?
6If I say what is in my mind, my pain becomes no less: and if I keep quiet, how much of it goes from me?
7But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.
7But now he has overcome me with weariness and fear, and I am in the grip of all my trouble.
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.
8It has come up as a witness against me, and the wasting of my flesh makes answer to my face.
9He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
9I am broken by his wrath, and his hate has gone after me; he has made his teeth sharp against me: my haters are looking on me with cruel eyes;
10They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.
10Their mouths are open wide against me; the blows of his bitter words are falling on my face; all of them come together in a mass against me.
11God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.
11God gives me over to the power of sinners, sending me violently into the hands of evil-doers.
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.
12I was in comfort, but I have been broken up by his hands; he has taken me by the neck, shaking me to bits; he has put me up as a mark for his arrows.
13His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.
13His bowmen come round about me; their arrows go through my body without mercy; my life is drained out on the earth.
14He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.
14I am broken with wound after wound; he comes rushing on me like a man of war.
15I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
15I have made haircloth the clothing of my skin, and my horn is rolled in the dust.
16My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
16My face is red with weeping, and my eyes are becoming dark;
17Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.
17Though my hands have done no violent acts, and my prayer is clean.
18O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.
18O earth, let not my blood be covered, and let my cry have no resting-place!
19Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.
19Even now my witness is in heaven, and the supporter of my cause is on high.
20My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.
20My friends make sport of me; to God my eyes are weeping,