Job 16

¹ And Job answered and said, ² I have heard many such things: grievous comforters are ye all. ³ Shall words of wind have an end? or what provoketh thee that thou answerest? ⁴ I also could speak as ye: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could join together words against you, and shake my head at you; ⁵ [But] I would encourage you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips should assuage [your pain]. ⁶ If I speak, my pain is not assuaged; and if I forbear, what am I eased? ⁷ But now he hath made me weary; … thou hast made desolate all my family; ⁸ Thou hast shrivelled me up! it is become a witness; and my leanness riseth up against me, it beareth witness to my face. ⁹ His anger teareth and pursueth me; he gnasheth with his teeth against me; [as] mine adversary he sharpeneth his eyes at me. ¹⁰ They gape upon me with their mouth; they smite my cheeks reproachfully; they range themselves together against me. ¹¹ God hath delivered me over to the iniquitous man, and hurled me into the hands of the wicked. ¹² I was at rest, but he hath shattered me; he hath taken me by the neck and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark. ¹³ His arrows encompass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground. ¹⁴ He breaketh me with breach upon breach; he runneth upon me like a mighty man. ¹⁵ I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and rolled 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, cover not my blood, and let there be no place for my cry! ¹⁹ Even now, behold, my Witness is in the heavens, and he that voucheth for me is in the heights. ²⁰ My friends are my mockers; mine eye poureth out tears unto +God. ²¹ Oh that there were arbitration for a man with +God, as a son of man for his friend! ²² For years [few] in number shall pass,—and I shall go the way [whence] I shall not return.