Job 16
Revised Standard Version
Job Reaffirms His Innocence
16 Then Job answered:
2 “I have heard many such things;
miserable comforters are you all.
3 Shall 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 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;
he has[a] made desolate all my company.
8 And he has[b] shriveled me up,
which is a witness against me;
and my leanness has risen up against me,
it testifies to my face.
9 He has torn me in his wrath, and hated me;
he has gnashed his teeth at me;
my adversary sharpens his eyes against me.
10 Men have gaped at me with their mouth,
they have struck me insolently upon the cheek,
they 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 asunder;
he seized me by the neck and dashed me to pieces;
he set me up as his target,
13 his archers surround me.
He slashes open my kidneys, and does not spare;
he pours out my gall on the ground.
14 He breaks me with breach upon breach;
he runs upon me like a warrior.
15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin,
and have laid my strength in the dust.
16 My face is red with weeping,
and on my eyelids is deep darkness;
17 although there is no violence in my hands,
and my prayer is pure.
18 “O earth, cover not my blood,
and let my cry find no resting place.
19 Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven,
and he that vouches for me is on high.
20 My friends scorn me;
my eye pours out tears to God,
21 that he would maintain the right of a man with God,
like[c] that of a man with his neighbor.
22 For when a few years have come
I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
Iyov 16
Orthodox Jewish Bible
16 Then Iyov answered and said,
2 I have heard many such things; menachamei amal (miserable comforters) are ye all.
3 Shall divrei ruach (vain words) have an end? Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?
4 I also could speak as ye do; if your nefesh were in place of my nefesh, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.
5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my shfatayim (lips) should relieve your grief.
6 Though I speak, my grief is not relieved, and though I forbear, mah (what) alleviation is it for me?
7 But now He hath worn me out; Thou hast made desolate kol adat (whole household) of me.
8 And Thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is an ed (witness) against me; and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.
9 He teareth me in his wrath, who warreth against me; He gnasheth upon me with His shinayim (teeth); mine adversary sharpeneth His eyes against me.
10 They have struck at me with their mouth; they have struck me upon the lekhi (cheek) reproachfully; [Isa 50:6; Lam 3:30] they have conspired themselves together against me.
11 El hath delivered me to evil men, and turned me over into the hands of the resha’im.
12 I was at ease, but He hath shattered me; He hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for His mattarah (object of attack, target).
13 His archers surround me, He pierces my klayot (kidneys), and doth not show mercy; He poureth out my gall upon the ground.
14 He bursteth upon me again and again; He runneth upon me like a gibbor (warrior).
15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and laid my keren (horn, strength) in the aphar (dust).
16 My face is red with weeping, and on my eyelids is the tzalmavet;
17 Not for any chamas in mine hands; also my tefillah is pure.
18 O earth, cover not thou my dahm, and let my outcry have no makom (place of rest).
19 Also now, hinei, my Ed is in Shomayim, and my Sahed (witness, one who vouches for me) is on high [MJ 4:15].
20 My friends scorn me; but mine eye poureth out tears unto Eloah.
21 O that one might plead for a man with Eloah, as a man pleadeth for his neighbor!
22 When a few shanot are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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