Print Page Options

Troublesome Comforters

16 Then Job answered and said,

“I have heard many such things;
[a](A)Troublesome comforters are you all.
Is there no end to (B)windy words?
Or what pains you that you answer?
I too could speak like you,
If your soul were in the place of my soul.
I could compose words against you
And (C)shake my head at you.
I could encourage you with my mouth,
And the solace of my lips could lessen your pain.

“If I speak, (D)my pain is not lessened,
And if I cease, what will go forth from me?
But now He has (E)exhausted me;
You have made (F)desolate all my company.
You have shriveled me up,
(G)It has become a witness;
And my (H)leanness rises up against me,
It answers to my face.
His anger has (I)torn me and [b]hunted me down;
He has (J)gnashed at me with His teeth;
My (K)adversary sharpens his eyes to look at me.
10 They have (L)opened their mouth wide at me;
They have (M)struck me on the cheek in reproach;
They have (N)massed themselves against me.
11 God hands me over to ruffians
And tosses me into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but (O)He shattered me,
And He has grasped me by the neck and shaken me to pieces;
He has also set me up as His (P)target.
13 His (Q)arrows surround me.
Without mercy He splits my kidneys open;
He pours out (R)my gall on the ground.
14 He (S)breaks through me with breach after breach;
He (T)runs at me like a warrior.
15 I have sewed (U)sackcloth over my skin
And (V)thrust my horn in the dust.
16 My face is flushed from (W)weeping,
(X)And the shadow of death is on my eyelids,
17 Why?—because there is no (Y)violence in my hands,
And (Z)my prayer is pure.

18 “O earth, do not cover my blood,
And let there be no resting place for my cry.
19 Even now, behold, (AA)my witness is in heaven,
And my [c]advocate is (AB)on high.
20 My friends are my scoffers;
(AC)My eye [d]weeps to God.
21 O that a man might argue with God
As a man with his neighbor!
22 For when a few years are past,
I shall go the way (AD)of no return.

Footnotes

  1. Job 16:2 Lit Comforters of trouble
  2. Job 16:9 Lit borne a grudge against me
  3. Job 16:19 Or witness
  4. Job 16:20 Or drips

16 Allora Giobbe rispose e disse:

«Di cose come queste ne ho udite tante! Siete tutti dei consolatori molesti!

Quando finiranno i vostri discorsi vuoti? O che cosa ti spinge a rispondere?

Anch'io potrei parlare come voi, se foste al mio posto, potrei mettere assieme parole contro di voi scuotendo il mio capo contro di voi.

Ma vi incoraggerei con la mia bocca e il conforto delle mie labbra allevierebbe il vostro dolore.

Se parlo il mio dolore non è alleviato: se cesso di parlare, che sollievo ne ho?

Ora però egli mi ha ridotto allo stremo delle forze. Tu hai devastato l'intera mia famiglia

mi hai coperto di rughe e questo testimonia contro di me, la mia magrezza si leva e testimonia contro di me.

La sua ira mi dilania e mi perseguita, digrigna i denti contro di me. Il mio nemico aguzza il suo sguardo su di me.

10 Spalancando la loro bocca contro di me, mi percuotono con disprezzo sulle guance, si radunano assieme contro di me.

11 Dio mi ha dato in balìa degli empi, mi ha consegnato nelle mani dei malvagi.

12 Vivevo tranquillo ma egli mi ha distrutto, mi ha preso per il collo e mi ha fatto a pezzi, e ha fatto di me il suo bersaglio.

13 I suoi arcieri mi circondano da ogni parte, mi trafigge i reni senza pietà, versa a terra il mio fiele.

14 Egli mi assale ripetutamente con violenza, mi si avventa contro come un guerriero.

15 Ho cucito un cilicio, sulla mia pelle, ho abbassato la mia fronte nella polvere.

16 Il mio viso è rosso per il pianto, e sulle mie palpebre si posa l'ombra di morte

17 anche se non c'è alcuna violenza nelle mie mani e la mia preghiera e pura.

18 O terra, non coprire il mio sangue, e il mio grido non trovi alcun luogo di riposo.

19 Già fin d'ora, ecco, il mio testimone è in cielo, il mio garante è in alto.

20 I miei amici mi deridono, ma i miei occhi versano lacrime davanti a Dio.

21 Possa egli sostenere le ragioni dell'uomo presso Dio, come fa un uomo con il suo vicino.

22 Passeranno infatti pochi anni ancora, e me ne andrò quindi per una via senza piú ritorno».

Job

16 Then Job replied:

“I have heard many things like these;
    you are miserable comforters,(A) all of you!(B)
Will your long-winded speeches never end?(C)
    What ails you that you keep on arguing?(D)
I also could speak like you,
    if you were in my place;
I could make fine speeches against you
    and shake my head(E) at you.
But my mouth would encourage you;
    comfort(F) from my lips would bring you relief.(G)

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

15 “I have sewed sackcloth(AB) over my skin
    and buried my brow in the dust.(AC)
16 My face is red with weeping,(AD)
    dark shadows ring my eyes;(AE)
17 yet my hands have been free of violence(AF)
    and my prayer is pure.(AG)

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

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

Footnotes

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

16 Then Job answered and said,

I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.

But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?

But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.

And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.

He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

11 God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

12 I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

13 His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.

14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.

15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.

16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

17 Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.

18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

19 Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.

20 My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

16 Job prit la parole et dit:

J'ai souvent entendu pareilles choses; Vous êtes tous des consolateurs fâcheux.

Quand finiront ces discours en l'air? Pourquoi cette irritation dans tes réponses?

Moi aussi, je pourrais parler comme vous, Si vous étiez à ma place: Je vous accablerais de paroles, Je secouerais sur vous la tête,

Je vous fortifierais de la bouche, Je remuerais les lèvres pour vous soulager.

Si je parle, mes souffrances ne seront point calmées, Si je me tais, en quoi seront-elles moindres?

Maintenant, hélas! il m'a épuisé... Tu as ravagé toute ma maison;

Tu m'as saisi, pour témoigner contre moi; Ma maigreur se lève, et m'accuse en face.

Il me déchire et me poursuit dans sa fureur, Il grince des dents contre moi, Il m'attaque et me perce de son regard.

10 Ils ouvrent la bouche pour me dévorer, Ils m'insultent et me frappent les joues, Ils s'acharnent tous après moi.

11 Dieu me livre à la merci des impies, Il me précipite entre les mains des méchants.

12 J'étais tranquille, et il m'a secoué, Il m'a saisi par la nuque et m'a brisé, Il a tiré sur moi comme à un but.

13 Ses traits m'environnent de toutes parts; Il me perce les reins sans pitié, Il répand ma bile sur la terre.

14 Il me fait brèche sur brèche, Il fond sur moi comme un guerrier.

15 J'ai cousu un sac sur ma peau; J'ai roulé ma tête dans la poussière.

16 Les pleurs ont altéré mon visage; L'ombre de la mort est sur mes paupières.

17 Je n'ai pourtant commis aucune violence, Et ma prière fut toujours pure.

18 O terre, ne couvre point mon sang, Et que mes cris prennent librement leur essor!

19 Déjà maintenant, mon témoin est dans le ciel, Mon témoin est dans les lieux élevés.

20 Mes amis se jouent de moi; C'est Dieu que j'implore avec larmes.

21 Puisse-t-il donner à l'homme raison contre Dieu, Et au fils de l'homme contre ses amis!

22 Car le nombre de mes années touche à son terme, Et je m'en irai par un sentier d'où je ne reviendrai pas.