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?

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Footnotes

  1. Job 16:2 Troublesome
  2. Job 16:3 Empty words

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 assuage your grief.

“Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged; and though I forbear, what am I eased?

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