16:1 But Job answered and said,
16:2 I have heard many such things: poor comforters are ye all.
16:3 What! is there any reason in vain words? or what will hinder thee from
answering?
16:4 I also will speak as ye [do]: if indeed your soul were in my [soul's]
stead, then would I insult you with words, and I would shake my head at you.
16:5 And would there were strength in my mouth, and I would not spare the
movement of my lips.
16:6 For if I should speak, I shall not feel the pain of my wound: and if I
should be silent, how shall I be wounded the less?
16:7 But now he has made me weary, and a worn-out fool; and thou hast laid
hold of me.
16:8 My falsehood has become a testimony, and has risen up against me: it
has confronted me to my face.
16:9 In his anger he has cast me down; he has gnashed his teeth upon me: the
weapons of his robbers have fallen upon me.
16:10 He has attacked me with the keen glances of his eyes; with his sharp
[spear] he has smitten me [down] upon my knees; and they have run upon me
with one accord.
16:11 For the Lord has delivered me into the hands of unrighteous men, and
thrown me upon the ungodly.
16:12 When I was at peace he distracted me: he took me by the hair of the
head, and plucked it out: he set me up as a mark.
16:13 They surrounded me with spears, aiming at my reins: without sparing
[me] they poured out my gall upon the ground.
16:14 They overthrew me with fall upon fall: they ran upon me in [their]
might.
16:15 They sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and my strength has been spent on
the ground.
16:16 My belly has been parched with wailing, and darkness is on my eyelids.
16:17 Yet there was no injustice in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
16:18 Earth, cover not over the blood of my flesh, and let my cry have no
place.
16:19 And now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is on high.
16:20 Let my supplication come to the Lord, and let mine eye weep before
him.
16:21 Oh that a man might plead before the Lord, even [as] the son of man
with his neighbor!
16:22 But my years are numbered and [their end] come, and I shall go by the
way by which I shall not return. |
16:1 Then Job answered and said,
16:2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.
16:3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou
answerest?
16:4 I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I
could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.
16:5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips
should asswage your grief.
16:6 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am
I eased?
16:7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.
16:8 And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me:
and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.
16:9 He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his
teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
16:10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon
the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.
16:11 God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the
hands of the wicked.
16:12 I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by
my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.
16:13 His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and
doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.
16:14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a
giant.
16:15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
16:16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of
death;
16:17 Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.
16:18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.
16:19 Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.
16:20 My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.
16:21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his
neighbour!
16:22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not
return. |