Hiob 16

¹Then Job answered and said:
²I have heard many such things; sorry comforters are ye all.
³Shall windy words have an end? Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?
⁴I also could speak as ye do; if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you.
⁵I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips would assuage your grief.
⁶Though I speak, my pain is not assuaged; and though I forbear, what am I eased?
⁷But now He hath made me weary; Thou hast made desolate all my company.
⁸And Thou hast shrivelled me up, which is a witness against me; and my leanness riseth up against me, it testifieth to my face.
⁹He hath torn me in His wrath, and hated me; He hath gnashed upon me with His teeth; mine adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
¹⁰They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek scornfully; they gather themselves together against me.
¹¹God delivereth me to the ungodly, and casteth me into the hands of the wicked.
¹²I was at ease, and He broke me asunder; yea, He hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces; He hath also set me up for His mark.
¹³His archers compass me round about, He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; He poureth out my gall upon the ground.
¹⁴He breaketh me with breach upon breach; He runneth upon me like a giant.
¹⁵I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and have laid my horn in the dust.
¹⁶My face is reddened with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
¹⁷Although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
¹⁸O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no resting-place.
¹⁹Even now, behold, my Witness is in heaven, and He that testifieth of me is on high.
²⁰Mine inward thoughts are my intercessors, mine eye poureth out tears unto God;
²¹That He would set aright a man contending with God, as a son of man setteth aright his neighbour!
²²For the years that are few are coming on, and I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

Public Domain