Print Page Options Listen to Job 16

Job’s Reply to Eliphaz

16 Then Job answered:

I have heard many things like these.
You are all miserable comforters.(A)
Is there no end to your empty[a](B) words?
What provokes you that you continue testifying?
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.
Instead, I would encourage you with my mouth,
and the consolation from my lips would bring relief.(C)

Even if I speak, my suffering is not relieved,
and if I hold back, what have I lost?
Surely He[b] has now exhausted me.
You have devastated my entire family.
You have shriveled me up[c]—it has become a witness;
My frailty rises up against me and testifies to my face.
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 unjust men;[d]
He throws me into the hands of 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 defenses 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 arbitrate
between a man and God(M)
just as a man pleads for his friend.
22 For only a few years will pass
before I go the way of no return.

Footnotes

  1. Job 16:3 Lit windy; Jb 15:2
  2. Job 16:7 Or it
  3. Job 16:8 Or have seized me; Hb obscure
  4. Job 16:11 LXX, Vg; MT reads to a boy
  5. Job 16:13 Or arrows
  6. Job 16:14 Lit through me, breach on breach
  7. Job 16:15 Lit horn

Job Reproaches His Pitiless Friends

16 Then Job answered and said:

“I have heard many such things;
(A)Miserable[a] comforters are you all!
Shall [b]words of wind have an end?
Or what provokes you that you answer?
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;
But I would strengthen you with my mouth,
And the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.

“Though I speak, my grief is not relieved;
And if I remain silent, how am I eased?
But now He has (C)worn me out;
You (D)have made desolate all my company.
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.
(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.

Footnotes

  1. Job 16:2 Troublesome
  2. Job 16:3 Empty words
  3. Job 16:13 Lit. kidneys
  4. Job 16:14 Vg. giant
  5. Job 16:15 Lit. horn
  6. Job 16:16 Lit. red
  7. Job 16:21 friend

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

Queja de Job

16 Entonces respondió Job, y dijo:

He oído muchas cosas como estas;
consoladores gravosos[a] sois todos vosotros(A).
¿No hay fin a las palabras vacías(B)?
¿O qué te provoca para que así respondas?
Yo también hablaría como vosotros,
si vuestra alma estuviera en lugar de mi alma.
Podría hilvanar palabras contra vosotros,
y mover ante vosotros la cabeza(C).
Os podría alentar con mi boca,
y el consuelo de mis labios podría aliviar vuestro dolor.

Si hablo, mi dolor(D) no disminuye,
y si callo, no se aparta de mí[b].
Pero ahora Él me ha agobiado(E);
tú has asolado toda mi compañía(F),
y me has llenado de arrugas
que en testigo se han convertido(G);
mi flacura(H) se levanta contra mí,
testifica en mi cara.
Su ira me ha despedazado(I) y me ha perseguido[c],
contra mí Él ha rechinado los dientes(J);
mi adversario aguza los ojos contra mí(K).
10 Han abierto contra mí su boca(L),
con injurias me han abofeteado[d](M);
a una se aglutinan contra mí(N).
11 Dios me entrega a los impíos,
y me echa en manos de los malvados.
12 Estaba yo tranquilo, y Él me sacudió,
me agarró por la nuca y me hizo pedazos(O);
también me hizo su blanco(P).
13 Me rodean sus flechas(Q),
parte mis riñones sin compasión,
derrama por tierra mi hiel(R).
14 Abre en mí brecha tras brecha(S);
arremete contra mí como un guerrero(T).
15 Sobre mi piel he cosido cilicio(U),
y he hundido en el polvo mi poder[e](V).
16 Mi rostro está enrojecido por el llanto(W),
y cubren[f] mis párpados densa oscuridad(X),
17 aunque no hay violencia en mis manos[g](Y),
y es pura mi oración(Z).

18 ¡Oh tierra, no cubras mi sangre,
y no haya lugar para mi clamor!
19 He aquí, aun ahora mi testigo(AA) está en el cielo,
y mi defensor[h] está en las alturas(AB).
20 Mis amigos son mis escarnecedores[i];
mis ojos(AC) lloran[j] a Dios.
21 ¡Ah, si un hombre pudiera argüir con Dios
como un hombre[k] con su vecino!
22 Porque cuando hayan pasado unos pocos años,
me iré por el camino sin retorno(AD).

Footnotes

  1. Job 16:2 Lit., de angustia
  2. Job 16:6 O, y si me callo, ¿qué se aleja de mí?
  3. Job 16:9 Lit., guardado rencor contra mí
  4. Job 16:10 Lit., herido mis mejillas
  5. Job 16:15 Lit., cuerno
  6. Job 16:16 Lit., sobre
  7. Job 16:17 Lit., palmas
  8. Job 16:19 O, testigo
  9. Job 16:20 O, mediadores
  10. Job 16:20 O, gotean
  11. Job 16:21 Lit., hijo de hombre

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.