Job 16

Comforters who bring trouble

¹Then Job answered: ²I have heard many things like these; \q you are all miserable comforters. ³Will these windy words never end? \q What is eating at you, that you keep answering? ⁴I too could talk as you do, \q if you were in my place; \q I could string words together against you \q and shake my head at you. ⁵I would encourage you with my mouth, \q and the comfort of my lips would ease your pain.^{a 6}If I speak, my pain is not eased; \q and if I keep silent, how much of it leaves me? ⁷But now God has worn me out; \q you have laid waste my whole household. ⁸You have shriveled me up, and that has become a witness against me; \q my gauntness rises up against me \q and testifies to my face.^{b 9}His anger has torn me, and he hounds me; \q he grinds his teeth at me; \q my enemy stabs at me with his eyes. ¹⁰People gape at me with open mouths; \q they strike my cheek in scorn; \q they gang up together against me. ¹¹God hands me over to the unjust \q and throws me into the clutches of the wicked.^{c 12}I was at ease, but he shattered me; \q he seized me by the neck and smashed me to pieces; \q he set me up as his target. ¹³His archers surround me. \q Without mercy he slashes open my kidneys \q and pours out my gall on the ground. ¹⁴He breaks through me again and again, like a wall breached; \q he charges at me like a warrior. ¹⁵I have sewn sackcloth over my skin \q and laid my strength in the dust. ¹⁶My face is red with weeping, \q and deep shadows lie on my eyelids. ¹⁷even though my hands have done no violence \q and my prayer is pure. ¹⁸Earth, do not cover my blood; \q let my cry find no place to rest. ¹⁹Even now my witness is in heaven; \q the one who vouches for me is on high.^{d 20}My friends scorn me; \q my eyes pour out tears to God.^{e 21}that he would plead for a man with God, \q as one pleads for a friend.^{f 22}For only a few years will come \q before I go the way of no return.