Job 16

Job’s Reply to Eliphaz

1 Then Job replied:

2 “I have heard many things like these before.
What miserable comforterst are you all!

3 Willt there be an end to yourt windy words?t
Or what provokest you that you answer?t

4 I also could speakt like you,
ift you were in my place;
I could pile upt words against you
and I could shake my head at you.s

5 Butt I would strengthent you with my words;t
comfort from my lips would bringt you relief.

Abandonment by God and Man

6 “Butt if I speak, my pain is not relieved,t
and if I refrain from speaking
– howt much of it goes away?

7 Surely now het has worn me out,
you have devastated my entire household.

8 You have seized me,t
and itt has become a witness;
my leannesst has risen up against me
and testifies against me.

9 Hist anger has torn mes and persecutedt me;
he has gnashed at me with his teeth;
my adversary lockst his eyes on me.

10 Peoplet have opened their mouths against me,
they have struck my cheek in scorn;t
they unitet together against me.

11 God abandons me to evilt men,s
and throwst me into the hands of wicked men.

12 I was in peace, and he has shattered me.t
He has seized me by the neck and crushed me.t
He has made me his target;

13 his archerst surround me.
Without pityt he piercest my kidneys
and pours out my gallt on the ground.

14 He breaks through against me, time and time again;t
he rushest against me like a warrior.

15 I have sewed sackcloth on my skin,s
and buriedt my hornt in the dust;

16 my face is reddenedt because of weeping,s
and on my eyelids there is a deep darkness,s

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

An Appeal to God as Witness

18 “O earth, do not cover my blood,s
nor let there be a secrett place for my cry.

19 Even now my witnesss is in heaven;
my advocatet is on high.

20 My intercessor is my friendt
as my eyes pour outt tears to God;

21 andt he contends with God on behalf of man
as a mant pleadst for his friend.

22 For the years that lie ahead are few,t
and then I will go on the way of no return.t

JOB 16

Job's Reply to Eliphaz

I Have Often Heard This

1 Job said:

2 I have often heard this,
and it offers no comfort.

3 So why don't you keep quiet?
What's bothering you?

4 If I were in your place,
it would be easy to criticize
or to give advice.

5 But I would offer hope
and comfort instead.

6 If I speak, or if I don't,
I hurt all the same.
My torment continues.

7 God has worn me down
and destroyed my family;

8 my shriveled up skin proves
that I am his prisoner.

9 God is my hateful enemy,
glaring at me and attacking
with his sharp teeth.

10 Everyone is against me;
they sneer and slap my face.

11 And God is the one
who handed me over
to this merciless mob.

Everything Was Going Well

12 Everything was going well,
until God grabbed my neck
and shook me to pieces.
God set me up as the target

13 for his arrows,
and without showing mercy,
he slashed my stomach open,
spilling out my insides.

14 God never stops attacking,

15 and so, in my sorrow
I dress in sackclotht
and sit in the dust.

16 My face is red with tears,
and dark shadows
circle my eyes,

17 though I am not violent,
and my prayers are sincere.

18 If I should die,
I beg the earth not to cover
my cry for justice.

19  t Even now, God in heaven
is both my witness
and my protector.

20 My friends have rejected me,
but God is the one I begt

21 to show that I am right,
just as a friend should.

22 Because in only a few years,
I will be dead and gone.