Job 16
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
16 Then Job answered, and said:
2 I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters.
3 Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak?
4 I also could speak like you: and would God your soul were for my soul.
5 I would comfort you also with words, and would wag my head over you.
6 I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as sparing you.
7 But what shall I do? If I speak, my pain will not rest: and if I hold my peace, it will not depart from me.
8 But now my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing.
9 My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting me.
10 He hath gathered together his fury against me, and threatening me he hath gnashed with his teeth upon me: my enemy hath beheld me with terrible eyes.
11 They have opened their mouths upon me, and reproaching me they have struck me on the cheek, they are filled with my pains.
12 God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked.
13 I that was formerly so wealthy, am all on a sudden broken to pieces: he hath taken me by my neck, he hath broken me, and hath set me up to be his mark.
14 He hath compassed me round about with his lances, he hath wounded my loins, he hath not spared, and hath poured out my bowels on the earth.
15 He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant.
16 I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.
17 My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.
18 These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God.
19 O earth, cover not thou my blood, neither let my cry find a hiding place in thee.
20 For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.
21 My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God.
22 And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!
23 For behold short years pass away and I am walking in a path by which I shall not return.
Job 16
English Standard Version
Job Replies: Miserable Comforters Are You
16 Then Job answered and said:
2 “I have heard (A)many such things;
(B)miserable comforters are you all.
3 Shall (C)windy words have an end?
Or what provokes you that you answer?
4 I also could speak as you do,
if you were in my place;
I could join words together against you
and (D)shake my head at you.
5 I could strengthen you with my mouth,
and the solace of my lips would assuage your pain.
6 “If I speak, my pain is not assuaged,
and if I forbear, how much of it leaves me?
7 Surely now God has worn me out;
(E)he has[a] made desolate all my company.
8 And he has shriveled me up,
which is (F)a witness against me,
and my (G)leanness has risen up against me;
it testifies to my face.
9 He has (H)torn me in his wrath (I)and hated me;
he has (J)gnashed his teeth at me;
my adversary sharpens his eyes against me.
10 Men have (K)gaped at me with their mouth;
they have (L)struck me insolently on the cheek;
they (M)mass themselves together against me.
11 God gives me up to the ungodly
and casts me into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, and he broke me apart;
he seized me by the neck and dashed me to pieces;
he set me up as his (N)target;
13 his (O)archers surround me.
He slashes open my kidneys (P)and does not spare;
he (Q)pours out my gall on the ground.
14 He breaks me with (R)breach upon breach;
he (S)runs upon me like a warrior.
15 I have sewed (T)sackcloth upon my skin
and have laid (U)my strength (V)in the dust.
16 My face is red with weeping,
and on my eyelids is (W)deep darkness,
17 although there is no (X)violence in my hands,
and my prayer is pure.
18 “O earth, (Y)cover not my blood,
and let my (Z)cry find no resting place.
19 Even now, behold, my (AA)witness is in heaven,
and he who testifies for me is (AB)on high.
20 My friends (AC)scorn me;
my eye pours out tears to God,
21 that he would (AD)argue the case of a man with God,
as[b] a son of man does with his neighbor.
22 For when a few years have come
I shall go the way (AE)from which I shall not return.
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
