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Job 16

Then Job answered: "I've heard plenty of this before. Miserable comforters — the whole lot of you. Is there no end to empty words? What's got into you that makes you keep answering? I could talk the same way if you were in my place. I could pile up words against you and shake my head at you.

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Miserable comforters

Then Job answered: "I've heard plenty of this before. Miserable comforters — the whole lot of you. Is there no end to empty words? What's got into you that makes you keep answering? I could talk the same way if you were in my place. I could pile up words against you and shake my head at you. But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the movement of my lips would ease your grief. If I speak, my grief isn't eased; and if I keep quiet, how does that help me? But now he has made me weary; you have made desolate all my company. You have filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me; my leanness rises up in me and bears witness to my face. He tears at me in his anger and hates me. He gnashes his teeth at me; my enemy sharpens his eyes against me. They gape at me with their mouths; they strike me on the cheek in contempt and gather together against me. God has delivered me to the ungodly and turned me over into the hands of the wicked. I was at ease, but he has broken me apart. He took me by the neck, shook me to pieces and set me up as his mark. His archers surround me. He tears my kidneys apart and does not spare; he pours out my bile on the ground. He breaks me with breach upon breach and runs upon me like a giant. I have sewn coarse mourning cloth upon my skin and defiled my horn in the dust. My face is foul from weeping, and the shadow of death lies on my eyelids, even though there is no violence in my hands and my prayer is pure. O earth, don't cover my blood, and let my cry have no resting place. Even now, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high. My friends scorn me, but my eyes pour out tears to God. If only someone could plead for a man with God as a man pleads for his neighbour. When a few years have come, I will go the way from which I will not return."

Then Job answered: I've heard plenty of things like these. You're all miserable comforters. Should empty words have an end? Or what stirs you up that you answer? I could speak the way you do too, if your soul were in my soul's place. I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you. But I'd make you strong with my mouth, and the moving of my lips would ease your grief. Though I speak, my grief isn't eased. And though I hold back, what am I eased of? But now he's worn me out. You've made all my company a waste. And you've filled me with wrinkles, and that's a witness against me. And my leanness gets up in me and testifies to my face. He tears me in his anger, the one who hates me. He gnashes his teeth at me. The one against me sharpens his eyes on me. They've opened their mouth wide at me. They've struck me on the cheek in disgrace. They've gathered themselves together against me. God has handed me over to the ungodly and thrown me into the hands of the wicked. I was at ease, but he's broken me apart. He's taken me by the neck too and shaken me to pieces, and set me up as his mark. His archers surround me. He splits my kidneys apart and doesn't spare. He pours out my gall on the ground. He breaks me with break on break. He runs on me like a strong man. I've sewn sackcloth on my skin, and put my horn in the dust. My face is red with weeping, and the shadow of death is on my eyelids — though there's no wrong in my hands and my prayer is pure. Earth, don't cover my blood, and don't let my cry have a resting place. Look now — my witness is in heaven, and the one who speaks for me is on high. My mates sneer at me, but my eye pours out tears to God. If only a man could plead with God the way a man does for his neighbour. Because when a few years have come, then I'll go the way I won't come back from.

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. They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me. God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked. 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. His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground. He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant. I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust. My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death; Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure. O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place. Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high. My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour! When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

1

Then Job answered:

King James Version, 1611

Then Job answered and said,

2

"I've heard plenty of this before. Miserable comforters — the whole lot of you.

Plain English

I've heard plenty of things like these. You're all miserable comforters.

King James Version, 1611

I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

3

Is there no end to empty words? What's got into you that makes you keep answering?

Plain English

Should empty words have an end? Or what stirs you up that you answer?

King James Version, 1611

Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

4

I could talk the same way if you were in my place. I could pile up words against you and shake my head at you.

Plain English

I could speak the way you do too, if your soul were in my soul's place. I could heap up words against you and shake my head at you.

King James Version, 1611

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.

5

But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the movement of my lips would ease your grief.

Plain English

But I'd make you strong with my mouth, and the moving of my lips would ease your grief.

King James Version, 1611

But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

6

If I speak, my grief isn't eased; and if I keep quiet, how does that help me?

Plain English

Though I speak, my grief isn't eased. And though I hold back, what am I eased of?

King James Version, 1611

Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?

7

But now he has made me weary; you have made desolate all my company.

Plain English

But now he's worn me out. You've made all my company a waste.

King James Version, 1611

But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.

8

You have filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me; my leanness rises up in me and bears witness to my face.

Plain English

And you've filled me with wrinkles, and that's a witness against me. And my leanness gets up in me and testifies to my face.

King James Version, 1611

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.

9

He tears at me in his anger and hates me. He gnashes his teeth at me; my enemy sharpens his eyes against me.

Plain English

He tears me in his anger, the one who hates me. He gnashes his teeth at me. The one against me sharpens his eyes on me.

King James Version, 1611

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 gape at me with their mouths; they strike me on the cheek in contempt and gather together against me.

Plain English

They've opened their mouth wide at me. They've struck me on the cheek in disgrace. They've gathered themselves together against me.

King James Version, 1611

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 has delivered me to the ungodly and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

Plain English

God has handed me over to the ungodly and thrown me into the hands of the wicked.

King James Version, 1611

God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

12

I was at ease, but he has broken me apart. He took me by the neck, shook me to pieces and set me up as his mark.

Plain English

I was at ease, but he's broken me apart. He's taken me by the neck too and shaken me to pieces, and set me up as his mark.

King James Version, 1611

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 surround me. He tears my kidneys apart and does not spare; he pours out my bile on the ground.

Plain English

His archers surround me. He splits my kidneys apart and doesn't spare. He pours out my gall on the ground.

King James Version, 1611

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 breaks me with breach upon breach and runs upon me like a giant.

Plain English

He breaks me with break on break. He runs on me like a strong man.

King James Version, 1611

He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.

15

I have sewn coarse mourning cloth upon my skin and defiled my horn in the dust.

Plain English

I've sewn sackcloth on my skin, and put my horn in the dust.

King James Version, 1611

I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.

16

My face is foul from weeping, and the shadow of death lies on my eyelids,

Plain English

My face is red with weeping, and the shadow of death is on my eyelids —

King James Version, 1611

My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

17

even though there is no violence in my hands and my prayer is pure.

Plain English

though there's no wrong in my hands and my prayer is pure.

King James Version, 1611

Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.

18

O earth, don't cover my blood, and let my cry have no resting place.

Plain English

Earth, don't cover my blood, and don't let my cry have a resting place.

King James Version, 1611

O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

19

Even now, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.

Plain English

Look now — my witness is in heaven, and the one who speaks for me is on high.

King James Version, 1611

Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.

20

My friends scorn me, but my eyes pour out tears to God.

Plain English

My mates sneer at me, but my eye pours out tears to God.

King James Version, 1611

My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

21

If only someone could plead for a man with God as a man pleads for his neighbour.

Plain English

If only a man could plead with God the way a man does for his neighbour.

King James Version, 1611

O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

22

When a few years have come, I will go the way from which I will not return."

Plain English

Because when a few years have come, then I'll go the way I won't come back from.

King James Version, 1611

When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.