Job, 16

¹ Job said in reply:

² “I have heard many things like these before. All of you are troublesome comforters!

³ Is there an end to empty^*1 words? What provokes you to answer this way?

⁴ I could also speak as you do. If you were in my place,^*1 I could make persuasive speeches against you And shake my head at you.

⁵ Instead, though, I would strengthen you with the words of my mouth, And the consolation of my lips would bring relief.

⁶ If I speak, my own pain is not relieved, And if I stop speaking, how much is my pain reduced?

⁷ But now he has made me weary; He has devastated my whole household.^*1

⁸ You also seize me, and it has become a witness, So that my own skinniness rises up and testifies to my face.

⁹ His anger has torn me to pieces, and he harbors animosity against me. He grinds his teeth against me. My adversary pierces me with his eyes.

¹⁰ They have opened their mouth wide against me, And they have scornfully struck my cheeks; In large numbers they gather against me.

¹¹ God hands me over to young boys, And he thrusts me into the hands of the wicked.

¹² I was untroubled, but he shattered me; He grabbed me by the back of the neck and crushed me; Then he set me up as his target.

¹³ His archers surround me; He pierces my kidneys and feels no compassion; He pours out my gall on the earth.

¹⁴ He breaks through against me with breach after breach; He rushes at me like a warrior.

¹⁵ I have sewn sackcloth together to cover my skin, And I have buried my dignity^*1 in the dust.

¹⁶ My face is red from weeping, And on my eyelids is deep shadow,^*1

¹⁷ Although my hands have done no violence And my prayer is pure.

¹⁸ O earth, do not cover my blood! And let there be no resting-place for my outcry!

¹⁹ Even now, my witness is in the heavens; The one who can testify for me is in the heights.

²⁰ My companions ridicule me As my eye sheds tears^*1 to God.

²¹ Let someone arbitrate between a man and God, As one would between a man and his fellow.

²² For the years to come are few, And I will go away on the path of no return.