Job 16
Modern English Version
Job Replies: You Are Miserable Comforters
16 Then Job answered:
2 “I have heard many such things;
miserable comforters are you all!
3 Will windy words have an end?
Or what provokes you that you answer?
4 I also could speak as you do,
if your soul were in my place.
I could heap up words against you
and shake my head at you;
5 but I would strengthen you with my mouth,
and the moving of my lips would relieve your grief.
6 “Though I speak, my grief is not relieved;
and though I stop, how am I eased?
7 But now He has made me weary;
You have made desolate all my company.
8 You have filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me;
and my leanness has risen up and bears witness to my face.
9 He has torn me in His wrath, and He has carried a grudge against me.
He has gnashed me with His teeth;
my enemy sharpens His gaze upon me.
10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth;
they have struck me upon the cheek with reproach;
they have gathered themselves together against me.
11 God has delivered me to the ungodly
and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but He has shattered me.
He also has taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces,
and set me up for His target.
13 His archers surround me;
He splits open my kidneys and does not pity;
He pours out my gall upon the ground.
14 He pierces me with thrust after thrust;
He rushes upon me like a warrior.
15 “I have sewn sackcloth over my skin
and thrust my horn into the dust.
16 My face is inflamed with weeping,
and on my eyelids is the shadow of death,
17 though not for any violence in my hands,
and my prayer is pure.
18 “O earth, do not cover my blood,
and let my cry have no resting place.
19 Also now, look, my witness is in heaven,
and my record is on high.
20 My friends scorn me;
my eyes pour out tears unto God.
21 Oh, that one might plead for a man with God,
as a man pleads for his neighbor!
22 “For when a few years have passed,
I will go the way from which I will not return.
Job 16
Tree of Life Version
Job Reproves His Friends
16 Job answered, saying:
2 “I have heard many things like these;
you are miserable comforters, all of you!
3 Is there no end to your futile words?
What compels you to answer?
4 I too could speak like you,
if you were in my place;
I could compose words against you
and shake my head at you.
5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth
and comfort from my lips would bring you relief.
6 “Yet, if I speak, my pain is not relieved,
and if I refrain, does it not go away from me?
7 Surely now He has exhausted me;
You have devastated my entire household.
8 You have seized me—
it has become a witness;
my leanness rises against me
and testifies to my face.
9 His anger has torn and tormented me;
He gnashes at me with his teeth;
my enemy looks at me with daggers in his eyes.
10 People open their mouths against me;
they strike my cheek in contempt;
they unite together against me.
11 God has handed me over to the ungodly,
and tossed me into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but He shattered me;
He grabbed me by the neck and crushed me.
He has made me His target;
13 His archers surround me.
Without mercy He pierces my kidneys
and spills my gall on the ground.
14 He breaks through against me, breach after breach.
He runs after me like a warrior.
15 “I have sewn sackcloth over my skin
and sunk my horn in the dust;
16 my face is red from weeping,
and on my eyelids are deep darkness;
17 yet no violence is in my hands
and my prayer is pure.
18 “Earth, do not cover my blood,
and let my cry find no resting place!
19 Even now my witness is in heaven,[a]
my advocate is on high.
20 My intercessor is my friend;
as my eyes pour out tears to God;
21 he contends with God on behalf of man
as one pleads for a friend.
22 “For the number of years will come to pass,
and then I will go the way of no return.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.