Job Says God Shattered Him

“If I speak, (A)my pain is not lessened,
And if I refrain, what pain leaves me?
But now He has (B)exhausted me;
You have laid (C)waste all my group of loved ones.
And you have shriveled me up,
[a](D)It has become a witness;
And my (E)infirmity rises up against me,
It testifies to my face.
His anger has (F)torn me and [b]hunted me down,
He has (G)gnashed at me with His teeth;
My (H)enemy [c]glares at me.
10 They have (I)gaped at me with their mouths,
They have [d](J)slapped me on the cheek with contempt;
They have (K)massed themselves against me.
11 God hands me over to criminals,
And tosses me into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but (L)He shattered me,
And He has grasped me by my neck and shaken me to pieces;
He has also set me up as His (M)target.
13 His (N)arrows surround me.
He splits my kidneys open without mercy;
He pours out (O)my bile on the ground.
14 He (P)breaks through me with breach after breach;
He (Q)runs at me like a warrior.
15 I have sewed (R)sackcloth over my skin,
And (S)thrust my horn in the dust.
16 My face is flushed from (T)weeping,
(U)And deep darkness is on my eyelids,
17 Although there is no (V)violence in my hands,
And (W)my prayer is pure.

18 “Earth, do not cover my blood,
And may there be no resting place for my cry.
19 Even now, behold, (X)my witness is in heaven,
And my [e]advocate is (Y)on high.
20 My friends are my scoffers;
(Z)My eye weeps to God,
21 That one might plead for a man with God
As a son of man with his neighbor!
22 For when a few years are past,
I shall go the way (AA)of no return.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 16:8 I.e., Job’s condition
  2. Job 16:9 Lit borne a grudge against me
  3. Job 16:9 Lit sharpens his eyes
  4. Job 16:10 Lit struck
  5. Job 16:19 Or witness

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

15 “I have sewed sackcloth(U) over my skin
    and buried my brow in the dust.(V)
16 My face is red with weeping,(W)
    dark shadows ring my eyes;(X)
17 yet my hands have been free of violence(Y)
    and my prayer is pure.(Z)

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

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

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Footnotes

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