Job 16
1 Job replied,
Bvt Iob answered, and said,
2 “I've heard all this before. You are comforters who just cause trouble!
I haue oft times heard such things: miserable comforters are ye all.
3 Will your windy speeches never cease? What's bothering you that you have to answer me?
Shall there be none ende of wordes of winde? or what maketh thee bold so to answere?
4 I could talk like you do if you were in my place, stringing words together to criticize you, ridiculing you with a toss of my head.
I could also speake as yee doe: (but woulde God your soule were in my soules stead) I could keepe you company in speaking, and could shake mine head at you,
5 I could build you up by my mouth speaking words; the movement of my lips would ease your pain.
But I woulde strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips should asswage your sorowe.
6 For me, if I speak it doesn't ease my pain, and if I don't speak the pain is still there.
Though I speake, my sorow can not be asswaged: though I cease, what release haue I?
7 God, you have worn me out. You have destroyed my whole family.
But now hee maketh mee wearie: O God, thou hast made all my congregation desolate,
8 You have made me shrivel up, which is a witness against me; my thin body testifies against me.
And hast made me full of wrinkles which is a witnesse thereof, and my leannes ryseth vp in me, testifying the same in my face.
9 He has torn me apart in his anger; in his hostility he has gnashed his teeth at me; my enemy pierces me with his fierce look.
His wrath hath torne me, and hee hateth me, and gnasheth vpon mee with his teeth: mine enemie hath sharpened his eyes against me.
10 People stare at me with their mouths wide open, they slap me on my cheeks to mock me, they crowd around me to attack me.
They haue opened their mouthes vpon me, and smitten me on the cheeke in reproch; they gather themselues together against me.
11 God has handed me over to evil people; he has thrown me into their hands.
God hath deliuered me to the vniust, and hath made mee to turne out of the way by the hands of the wicked.
12 I was living in peace and he smashed me to pieces. He grabbed me by the neck and dashed me to pieces. He set me up as his target.
I was in welth, but he hath brought me to nought: he hath taken me by the necke, and beaten me, and set me as a marke for himselfe.
13 His archers surround me. His arrows pierce my kidneys without mercy. He pours out my gall on the ground.
His archers compasse mee rounde about: he cutteth my reines, and doth not spare, and powreth my gall vpon the ground.
14 Like a wall he breaks me down, breach upon breach, rushing at me like a warrior.
He hath broken me with one breaking vpon another, and runneth vpon me like a gyant.
15 I have sown sackcloth to cover my skin; my strength lies broken in the dust.
I haue sowed a sackcloth vpon my skinne, and haue abased mine horne vnto the dust.
16 My face is red from crying and dark shadows surround my eyes,
My face is withered with weeping, and the shadow of death is vpon mine eyes,
17 although I have done nothing wrong and my prayer is pure.
Though there be no wickednesse in mine hands, and my prayer be pure.
18 Earth, do not cover up my blood. May my cry find no place to hide.
O earth, couer not thou my blood, and let my crying finde no place.
19 Look, right now my witness is in heaven; the one who speaks for me is on high.
For lo, now my witnesse is in the heauen, and my record is on hie.
20 My friends scorn me, but my eyes pour out tears to God.
My friends speake eloquently against me: but mine eye powreth out teares vnto God.
21 I want my witness to speak for me with God as someone does for their friend.
Oh that a man might pleade with God, as man with his neighbour!
22 For in a few short years I shall go down that road from which I shall not return.
For the yeeres accounted come, and I shall go the way, whence I shall not returne.
