Job 16
1 But Job answered and said,
2 I have heard many such things: poor
comforters are ye all. 3 What! is
there any reason in vain words? or what will hinder thee from answering?
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. 5 And
would there were strength in my mouth, and I would not spare the movement of
my lips.
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? 7 But now he has made me
weary, and a worn-out fool; and thou hast laid hold of me.
8 My falsehood has become a testimony,
and has risen up against me: it has confronted me to my face.
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.
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.
11 For the Lord has delivered me into
the hands of unrighteous men, and thrown me upon the ungodly.
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. 13 They surrounded me with
spears, aiming at my reins: without sparing me they
poured out my gall upon the ground.
14 They overthrew me with fall upon
fall: they ran upon me in their might.
15 They sewed sackcloth upon my skin,
and my strength has been spent on the ground.
16 My belly has been parched with
wailing, and darkness is on my eyelids.
17 Yet there was no injustice in my
hands, and my prayer is pure.
18 Earth, cover not over the blood of
my flesh, and let my cry have no place.
19 And now, behold, my witness is in
heaven, and my advocate is on high.
20 Let my supplication come to the
Lord, and let mine eye weep before him.
21 Oh that a man might plead before
the Lord, even as the son of man with his neighbour!
22 But my years are numbered and
their end come, and I shall go by the way by which I
shall not return.