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.
Job 16
New King James Version
Job Reproaches His Pitiless Friends
16 Then Job answered and said:
2 “I have heard many such things;
(A)Miserable[a] comforters are you all!
3 Shall [b]words of wind have an end?
Or what provokes you that you answer?
4 I also could speak as you do,
If your soul were in my soul’s place.
I could heap up words against you,
And (B)shake my head at you;
5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth,
And the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.
6 “Though I speak, my grief is not relieved;
And if I remain silent, how am I eased?
7 But now He has (C)worn me out;
You (D)have made desolate all my company.
8 You have shriveled me up,
And it is a (E)witness against me;
My leanness rises up against me
And bears witness to my face.
9 (F)He tears me in His wrath, and hates me;
He gnashes at me with His teeth;
(G)My adversary sharpens His gaze on me.
10 They (H)gape at me with their mouth,
They (I)strike me reproachfully on the cheek,
They gather together against me.
11 God (J)has delivered me to the ungodly,
And turned me over to the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but He has (K)shattered me;
He also has taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces;
He has (L)set me up for His target,
13 His archers surround me.
He pierces my [c]heart and does not pity;
He pours out my gall on the ground.
14 He breaks me with wound upon wound;
He runs at me like a [d]warrior.
15 “I have sewn sackcloth over my skin,
And (M)laid my [e]head in the dust.
16 My face is [f]flushed from weeping,
And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
17 Although no violence is in my hands,
And my prayer is pure.
18 “O earth, do not cover my blood,
And (N)let my cry have no resting place!
19 Surely even now (O)my witness is in heaven,
And my evidence is on high.
20 My friends scorn me;
My eyes pour out tears to God.
21 (P)Oh, that one might plead for a man with God,
As a man pleads for his [g]neighbor!
22 For when a few years are finished,
I shall (Q)go the way of no return.
Job 16
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Job’s Reply to Eliphaz
16 Then Job answered:
2 I have heard many things like these.
You are all miserable comforters.(A)
3 Is there no end to your empty[a](B) words?
What provokes you that you continue testifying?
4 If you were in my place I could also talk like you.
I could string words together against you
and shake my head at you.
5 Instead, I would encourage you with my mouth,
and the consolation from my lips would bring relief.(C)
6 If I speak, my suffering is not relieved,
and if I hold back, does any of it leave me?
7 Surely he[b] has now exhausted me.
You have devastated my entire family.
8 You have shrivelled me up[c] – it has become a witness;
my frailty rises up against me and testifies to my face.
9 His anger tears at me, and he harasses(D) me.
He gnashes his teeth at me.
My enemy pierces me with his eyes.
10 They open their mouths against me
and strike my cheeks with contempt;(E)
they join themselves together against me.
11 God hands me over to the unjust;[d]
he throws me to the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but he shattered me;
he seized me by the scruff of the neck
and smashed me to pieces.
He set me up as his target;(F)
13 his archers[e] surround me.
He pierces my kidneys without mercy
and pours my bile on the ground.
14 He breaks through my defences again and again;[f]
he charges at me like a warrior.(G)
15 I have sewn sackcloth over my skin;
I have buried my strength[g] in the dust.(H)
16 My face has grown red with weeping,
and darkness(I) covers my eyes,
17 although my hands are free from violence(J)
and my prayer is pure.
18 Earth, do not cover my blood;
may my cry for help find no resting place.(K)
19 Even now my witness is in heaven,
and my advocate is in the heights!(L)
20 My friends scoff at me
as I weep before God.
21 I wish that someone might argue for a man with God(M)
just as anyone[h] would for a friend.
22 For only a few years will pass
before I go the way of no return.
Job 16
Ang Salita ng Dios (Tagalog Contemporary Bible)
Sumagot si Job
16 Sumagot si Job, 2 “Napakinggan ko na iyan noon pa. Sa halip na aliwin ninyo ako, lalo nʼyo pang pinabigat ang paghihirap ko. 3 Hindi na ba kayo titigil sa pagsasalita ng walang kabuluhan? Ano bang gumugulo sa isipan nʼyo at wala kayong tigil sa pakikipagtalo sa akin? 4 Kung kayo ang nasa kalagayan ko, masasabi ko rin ang katulad ng mga sinasabi ninyo sa akin. Pagsasabihan ko kayo at kukutyain pa. 5 Pero hindi ko gagawin iyon. Sa halip, magsasalita ako ng mga salitang makapagpapalakas at makapagpapaaliw sa inyo. 6 Ngunit sa ngayon, patuloy pa rin ang paghihirap ko kahit ano pa ang sabihin ko. At kung tumahimik man ako, hindi rin ito mawawala.
7 “O Dios, pinanghina nʼyo ako at winasak ang buong sambahayan ko. 8 Pinapayat nʼyo ako; butoʼt balat na lang ako, at ayon sa iba ito ang katunayan na akoʼy nagkasala. 9 Sa galit nʼyo, O Dios, sinalakay nʼyo ako. Para kayong mabangis na hayop na lumuray ng aking laman. Nagngangalit ang inyong ngipin at tinititigan nʼyo ako na parang akoʼy inyong kaaway.
10 “Kinukutya ako at pinagtatawanan ng mga tao. Sinasampal para hiyain. Nagkaisa sila laban sa akin. 11 Ipinaubaya ako ng Dios sa kamay ng taong masasama at makasalanan. 12 Maganda ang kalagayan ko noon, pero sinira niya ako. Hinawakan niya ako sa leeg, inilugmok, at ginawa niya akong puntiryahan. 13 Pinalibutan ako ng mga tagapana niya at walang awang pinagpapana. Tinamaan ang aking bato, at ang apdo koʼy bumulwak sa lupa. 14 Paulit-ulit niya akong sinusugatan. Sinasalakay niya akong parang mandirigma. 15 Nagdamit ako ng sako at naupo sa lupa para magluksa. 16 Namumula na ang mukha ko at namumugto na ang mga mata sa kakaiyak. 17 Wala akong nagawang kasalanan at tapat ang aking panalangin.
18 “Ang katulad koʼy isang taong pinatay na nakikiusap sa lupa na huwag tatabunan ang kanyang dugo hanggaʼt hindi niya nakakamtan ang katarungan. 19 Kahit ngayon ang saksi[a] koʼy nasa langit. Siya ang magpapatunay na wala akong kasalanan. 20 Hinahamak ako ng mga kaibigan ko; pero umiiyak ako sa Dios at humihingi ng tulong sa kanya. 21 Ang saksi ko ang siyang magmamakaawa sa Dios para sa akin, katulad ng taong nakikiusap para sa kanyang kaibigan. 22 Sapagkat malapit na akong pumanaw at hindi na babalik pa.
Footnotes
- 16:19 saksi: Maaaring isa sa makalangit na nilalang.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2024 by Holman Bible Publishers.
Ang Salita ng Dios (Tagalog Contemporary Bible) Copyright © 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015 by Biblica, Inc. ®