Job 16

1Then Job answered and said,

1And Job answereth and saith: --

1Then Job answered, and said:

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

2I have heard many such things, Miserable comforters <FI>are<Fi> ye all.

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

3Shall vain words have an end? Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?

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

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

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

4I 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.

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

5But I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the solace of my lips would assuage your grief.

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

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

6Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged; And though I forbear, what am I eased?

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

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

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

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

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.

8And thou hast laid fast hold on me, which is a witness against me: And my leanness riseth up against me, It testifieth to my face.

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

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

9He hath torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me; He hath gnashed upon me with his teeth: Mine adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

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

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

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

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

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.

11God delivereth me to the ungodly, And casteth me into the hands of the wicked.

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

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

12I was at ease, and he brake me asunder; Yea, he hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces: He hath also set me up for his mark.

12At 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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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,

15I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, And have laid my horn in the dust.

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

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

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

16My face is foul with weeping, And on mine eyelids <FI>is<Fi> death-shade.

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

17Although there is no violence in my hands, And my prayer is pure.

17Not for violence in my hands, And my prayer <FI>is<Fi> pure.

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

18O earth, cover not thou my blood, And let my cry have noresting-place.

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

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

19Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And he that voucheth for me is on high.

19Also, now, lo, in the heavens <FI>is<Fi> my witness, And my testifier in the high places.

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

20My friends scoff at me: But mine eye poureth out tears unto God,

20My interpreter <FI>is<Fi> my friend, Unto God hath mine eye dropped:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

23(not in this translation)

23(not in this translation)

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