Jó 16

¹ Then Job answered and said,

² I have heard many such things: Miserable comforters are all of you{+}.

³ Will vain words have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer?

⁴ I also could speak as you{+} do; If your{+} soul were in my soul's stead, I could join words together against you{+}, And shake my head at you{+}.

⁵ [But] I would strengthen you{+} with my mouth, And the solace of my lips would assuage [your{+} grief].

⁶ Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged; And though I forbear, what am I eased?

⁷ But now he has made me weary: You have made desolate all my company.

⁸ And you have shriveled me up, [which] is a witness [against me]: And my leanness rises up against me, It testifies to my face.

⁹ He has torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me; He has gnashed on me with his teeth: My adversary sharpens his eyes on me.

¹⁰ They have gaped on me with their mouth; They have struck me on the cheek reproachfully: They gather themselves together against me.

¹¹ God delivers me to the ungodly, And casts me into the hands of the wicked.

¹² I was at ease, and he broke me apart; Yes, he has taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces: He has also set me up for his mark.

¹³ His archers circle me round about; He splits my reins apart, and does not spare; He pours out my gall on the ground.

¹⁴ He breaks me with breach on breach; He runs on me like a giant.

¹⁵ I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, And have laid my horn in the dust.

¹⁶ My face is red with weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

¹⁷ Although there is no violence in my hands, And my prayer is pure.

¹⁸ O earth, do not cover my blood, And let my cry have no [resting]-place.

¹⁹ Even now, look, my witness is in heaven, And he who vouches for me is on high.

²⁰ My companions scoff at me: [But] my eye pours out tears to God,

²¹ That he would maintain the right of a [noble] man with God, And of a son of man with his fellow man!

²² For when a few years have come, I will go the way from where I will not return.