Job 16

1And Job answereth and saith: --

1And Job answered and said,

1Then Job answered, and said:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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 like you: and would God your soul were for my soul.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.