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Job Reproves His Friends

16 Job answered, saying:

“I have heard many things like these;
    you are miserable comforters, all of you!
Is there no end to your futile words?
    What compels you to answer?
I too could speak like you,
    if you were in my place;
I could compose words against you
    and shake my head at you.
But I would strengthen you with my mouth
and comfort from my lips would bring you relief.

“Yet, if I speak, my pain is not relieved,
and if I refrain, does it not go away from me?
Surely now He has exhausted me;
    You have devastated my entire household.
You have seized me—
    it has become a witness;
my leanness rises against me
    and testifies to my face.
His anger has torn and tormented me;
    He gnashes at me with his teeth;
my enemy looks at me with daggers in his eyes.
10 People open their mouths against me;
    they strike my cheek in contempt;
    they unite together against me.
11 God has handed me over to the ungodly,
    and tossed me into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but He shattered me;
    He grabbed me by the neck and crushed me.
    He has made me His target;
13 His archers surround me.
    Without mercy He pierces my kidneys
    and spills my gall on the ground.
14 He breaks through against me, breach after breach.
He runs after me like a warrior.

15 “I have sewn sackcloth over my skin
    and sunk my horn in the dust;
16 my face is red from weeping,
    and on my eyelids are deep darkness;
17 yet no violence is in my hands
    and my prayer is pure.
18 “Earth, do not cover my blood,
    and let my cry find no resting place!
19 Even now my witness is in heaven,[a]
    my advocate is on high.
20 My intercessor is my friend;
    as my eyes pour out tears to God;
21 he contends with God on behalf of man
    as one pleads for a friend.

22 “For the number of years will come to pass,
and then I will go the way of no return.

Footnotes

  1. Job 16:19 cf. Rom. 1:9.

Job

16 Then Job replied:

“I have heard many things like these;
    you are miserable comforters,(A) all of you!(B)
Will your long-winded speeches never end?(C)
    What ails you that you keep on arguing?(D)
I also could speak like you,
    if you were in my place;
I could make fine speeches against you
    and shake my head(E) at you.
But my mouth would encourage you;
    comfort(F) from my lips would bring you relief.(G)

“Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved;
    and if I refrain, it does not go away.(H)
Surely, God, you have worn me out;(I)
    you have devastated my entire household.(J)
You have shriveled me up—and it has become a witness;
    my gauntness(K) rises up and testifies against me.(L)
God assails me and tears(M) me in his anger(N)
    and gnashes his teeth at me;(O)
    my opponent fastens on me his piercing eyes.(P)
10 People open their mouths(Q) to jeer at me;(R)
    they strike my cheek(S) in scorn
    and unite together against me.(T)
11 God has turned me over to the ungodly
    and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked.(U)
12 All was well with me, but he shattered me;
    he seized me by the neck and crushed me.(V)
He has made me his target;(W)
13     his archers surround me.(X)
Without pity, he pierces(Y) my kidneys
    and spills my gall on the ground.
14 Again and again(Z) he bursts upon me;
    he rushes at me like a warrior.(AA)

15 “I have sewed sackcloth(AB) over my skin
    and buried my brow in the dust.(AC)
16 My face is red with weeping,(AD)
    dark shadows ring my eyes;(AE)
17 yet my hands have been free of violence(AF)
    and my prayer is pure.(AG)

18 “Earth, do not cover my blood;(AH)
    may my cry(AI) never be laid to rest!(AJ)
19 Even now my witness(AK) is in heaven;(AL)
    my advocate is on high.(AM)
20 My intercessor(AN) is my friend[a](AO)
    as my eyes pour out(AP) tears(AQ) to God;
21 on behalf of a man he pleads(AR) with God
    as one pleads for a friend.

22 “Only a few years will pass
    before I take the path of no return.(AS)

Footnotes

  1. Job 16:20 Or My friends treat me with scorn