Job 16

Job Replies: Miserable Comforters Are You

1 Then Job answered and said:

2  "I have heard many such things;
miserable comforters are you all.
3  Shall windy words have an end?
Or what provokes you that you answer?
4  I also could speak as you do,
if you were in my place;
I could join words together against you
and shake my head at you.
5  I could strengthen you with my mouth,
and the solace of my lips would assuage your pain.

6  "If I speak, my pain is not assuaged,
and if I forbear, how much of it leaves me?
7  Surely now God has worn me out;
he hast made desolate all my company.
8  And he has shriveled me up,
which is a witness against me,
and my leanness has risen up against me;
it testifies to my face.
9  He has torn me in his wrath and hated me;
he has gnashed his teeth at me;
my adversary sharpens his eyes against me.
10  Men have gaped at me with their mouth;
they have struck me insolently on the cheek;
they mass themselves together against me.
11  God gives me up to the ungodly
and casts me into the hands of the wicked.
12  I was at ease, and he broke me apart;
he seized me by the neck and dashed me to pieces;
he set me up as his target;
13  his archers surround me.
He slashes open my kidneys and does not spare;
he pours out my gall on the ground.
14  He breaks me with breach upon breach;
he runs upon me like a warrior.
15  I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin
and have laid my strength in the dust.
16  My face is red with weeping,
and on my eyelids is deep darkness,
17  although there is no violence in my hands,
and my prayer is pure.

18  "O earth, cover not my blood,
and let my cry find no resting place.
19  Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven,
and he who testifies for me is on high.
20  My friends scorn me;
my eye pours out tears to God,
21  that he would argue the case of a man with God,
ast a son of man does with his neighbor.
22  For when a few years have come
I shall go the way from which I shall not return.

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