16:1 Then Job replied:
16:2 “I have heard many things like these before.
What miserable comforters 2 are you all!
16:3 Will 3 there be an end to your 4 windy words? 5
Or what provokes 6 you that you answer? 7
16:4 I also could speak 8 like you,
if 9 you were in my place;
I could pile up 10 words against you
and I could shake my head at you. 11
16:5 But 12 I would strengthen 13 you with my words; 14
comfort from my lips would bring 15 you relief.
16:6 “But 16 if I speak, my pain is not relieved, 17
and if I refrain from speaking
– how 18 much of it goes away?
16:7 Surely now he 19 has worn me out,
you have devastated my entire household.
16:8 You have seized me, 20
and it 21 has become a witness;
my leanness 22 has risen up against me
and testifies against me.
16:9 His 23 anger has torn me 24 and persecuted 25 me;
he has gnashed at me with his teeth;
my adversary locks 26 his eyes on me.
16:10 People 27 have opened their mouths against me,
they have struck my cheek in scorn; 28
they unite 29 together against me.
16:11 God abandons me to evil 30 men, 31
and throws 32 me into the hands of wicked men.
16:12 I was in peace, and he has shattered me. 33
He has seized me by the neck and crushed me. 34
He has made me his target;
16:13 his archers 35 surround me.
Without pity 36 he pierces 37 my kidneys
and pours out my gall 38 on the ground.
16:14 He breaks through against me, time and time again; 39
he rushes 40 against me like a warrior.
16:15 I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, 41
and buried 42 my horn 43 in the dust;
16:16 my face is reddened 44 because of weeping, 45
and on my eyelids there is a deep darkness, 46
16:17 although 47 there is no violence in my hands
and my prayer is pure.