22:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
16:1 Then Job replied:
16:2 “I have heard many things like these before.
What miserable comforters 3 are you all!
16:3 Will 4 there be an end to your 5 windy words? 6
Or what provokes 7 you that you answer? 8
16:4 I also could speak 9 like you,
if 10 you were in my place;
I could pile up 11 words against you
and I could shake my head at you. 12
16:5 But 13 I would strengthen 14 you with my words; 15
comfort from my lips would bring 16 you relief.
16:6 “But 17 if I speak, my pain is not relieved, 18
and if I refrain from speaking
– how 19 much of it goes away?
16:7 Surely now he 20 has worn me out,
you have devastated my entire household.
16:8 You have seized me, 21
and it 22 has become a witness;
my leanness 23 has risen up against me
and testifies against me.
16:9 His 24 anger has torn me 25 and persecuted 26 me;
he has gnashed at me with his teeth;
my adversary locks 27 his eyes on me.
16:10 People 28 have opened their mouths against me,
they have struck my cheek in scorn; 29
they unite 30 together against me.
16:11 God abandons me to evil 31 men, 32
and throws 33 me into the hands of wicked men.
16:12 I was in peace, and he has shattered me. 34
He has seized me by the neck and crushed me. 35
He has made me his target;
16:13 his archers 36 surround me.
Without pity 37 he pierces 38 my kidneys
and pours out my gall 39 on the ground.
16:14 He breaks through against me, time and time again; 40
he rushes 41 against me like a warrior.
16:15 I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, 42
and buried 43 my horn 44 in the dust;
16:16 my face is reddened 45 because of weeping, 46
and on my eyelids there is a deep darkness, 47
16:17 although 48 there is no violence in my hands
and my prayer is pure.
16:18 “O earth, do not cover my blood, 49
nor let there be a secret 50 place for my cry.
16:19 Even now my witness 51 is in heaven;
my advocate 52 is on high.
16:20 My intercessor is my friend 53
as my eyes pour out 54 tears to God;
16:21 and 55 he contends with God on behalf of man
as a man 56 pleads 57 for his friend.
16:22 For the years that lie ahead are few, 58
and then I will go on the way of no return. 59