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Job replies to Eliphaz [ a ]

16 Then Job replied. This is what he said:

2 ‘I have heard all these things before.
You are not making my troubles any better.
You are making them worse!
3 Please stop speaking useless words.
Why do you talk to me like that?
4 If you were suffering like I am,
I could say the same things to you.
I could speak for a long time
about the wrong things that you have done.
I could shake my head
and laugh at you.
5 But, instead, I would help you to be strong.
I would say things to comfort you.

6 But now, if I speak,
my pain does not become any better.
If I stop speaking,
my pain continues to be there.
7 God, you have made me very weak.
You have destroyed my family.
8 You have taken hold of me.
Because of my troubles,
people think that I am guilty.
Because my body is so thin,
people think that I have done bad things.
9 God attacks me and he punishes me because he is angry.
He shows his anger like a wild animal.
He has become my enemy.
10 People insult me and they laugh at me.
They hit me on my face.
They all join together to attack me.
11 God has allowed evil men to take hold of me.
He has put me under the power of wicked men.
12 I was living in peace,
but then God destroyed me.
He took hold of my neck
and he shook me to pieces.
He decided to shoot his arrows at me.
13 His arrows come from all around me.
They go deep into my body
and my blood pours out on the ground.
But God still does not feel sorry for me.
14 He attacks me again and again.
He rushes to attack me like a strong fighter.
15 I have used sackcloth to make my clothes. [ b ]
I am no longer proud of my strength,
and I sit in the dust.
16 I have cried so much that my face is red.
There are dark circles around my eyes.
17 But I have not been cruel.
And when I pray, I speak honestly to God.

18 The earth should not hide my blood!
People should remember how I have suffered.
They should not forget that I asked for justice.
19 But even now, I know that I have a friend in heaven.
He knows that I am not guilty.
He speaks on my behalf.
20 My friends have turned against me.
I cry with many tears as I pray to God.
21 I need someone to speak to God on my behalf.
He should ask God not to punish me,
as someone might try to help his friends.

22 I only have a few more years to live.
I will die and I will never again return to this earth.

Footnotes

  1. 16:1 Now Job replies to his friends. Nothing that they have said has helped him. Job understands that God punishes bad people. He still thinks that God has not been fair to punish him. But he begins to think that perhaps God will help him. See Job 16:19 ; 17:3 .
  2. 16:15 Sackcloth was not comfortable to wear. People wore sackcloth to show that they were very sad and upset.

Job Answers Eliphaz

16 Then Job answered:

2 “I have heard all these things before.
You men give me trouble, not comfort.
3 Your long speeches never end!
Why do you continue arguing?
4 I also could say the same things you say,
if you had my troubles.
I could say wise things against you
and shake my head at you.
5 But I would say things to encourage you
and give you hope.

6 “Nothing I say makes my pain go away.
But keeping quiet does not help either.
7 God, you surely took away my strength.
You destroyed my whole family.
8 You have made me thin and weak,
and people think that means I am guilty.

9 “God attacks me;
he is angry with me and tears my body apart.
He grinds his teeth against me.
My enemy looks at me with hate.
10 People have crowded around me.
They make fun of me and slap my face.
11 God has given me to evil people.
He let the wicked hurt me.
12 I was enjoying a quiet, peaceful life,
but then God crushed me.
Yes, he took me by the neck
and broke me into pieces.
He has made me his target.
13 With his archers all around me,
he shoots arrows into my kidneys.
He shows no mercy
and spills my gall [ a ] on the ground.
14 Again and again he attacks me.
He runs at me like a soldier in battle.

15 “I am very sad, so I wear this sackcloth.
I sit here in dust and ashes, feeling defeated.
16 My face is red from crying.
There are dark rings around my eyes.
17 I was never cruel to anyone,
and my prayers are pure.

18 “Earth, don’t hide the wrong things that were done to me. [ b ]
Don’t let my begging for fairness be stopped.
19 Even now there is someone in heaven who will speak for me.
There is someone above who will testify for me.
20 My friend speaks for me,
while my eyes pour out tears to God.
21 He speaks to God for me,
like someone [ c ] presenting an argument for a friend.

22 “In only a few years
I will go to that place of no return.

Footnotes

  1. Job 16:13 gall The bitter contents of the gall bladder, which is near the liver. Here, it means something bitter and painful.
  2. Job 16:18 Earth … done to me Literally, “Earth, don’t cover my blood.” See Gen. 4:10-11.
  3. Job 16:21 someone Literally, “son of man.”

16 Then Job answered and said,

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

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

4 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 moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

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

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

8 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 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.

Job Says Friends Are Miserable Comforters

16 Then Job responded,

2 “I have heard many things like these;
[ a ] ( A ) Miserable comforters are you all!
3 Is there no end to ( B ) windy words?
Or what provokes you that you answer?
4 I too could speak like you,
If only [ b ] I were in your place.
I could compose words against you
And ( C ) shake my head at you.
5 Or I could strengthen you with my mouth,
And the condolence of my lips could lessen your pain .

Job Says God Shattered Him

6 “If I speak, ( D ) my pain is not lessened,
And if I refrain, what pain leaves me?
7 But now He has ( E ) exhausted me;
You have laid ( F ) waste all my group of loved ones .
8 And you have shriveled me up,
[ c ] ( G ) It has become a witness;
And my ( H ) infirmity rises up against me,
It testifies to my face.
9 His anger has ( I ) torn me and [ d ] hunted me down,
He has ( J ) gnashed at me with His teeth;
My ( K ) enemy [ e ] glares at me.
10 They have ( L ) gaped at me with their mouths,
They have [ f ] ( M ) slapped me on the cheek with contempt;
They have ( N ) massed themselves against me.
11 God hands me over to criminals,
And tosses me into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but ( O ) He shattered me,
And He has grasped me by my neck and shaken me to pieces;
He has also set me up as His ( P ) target.
13 His ( Q ) arrows surround me.
He splits my kidneys open without mercy;
He pours out ( R ) my bile on the ground.
14 He ( S ) breaks through me with breach after breach;
He ( T ) runs at me like a warrior.
15 I have sewed ( U ) sackcloth over my skin,
And ( V ) thrust my horn in the dust.
16 My face is flushed from ( W ) weeping,
( X ) And deep darkness is on my eyelids,
17 Although there is no ( Y ) violence in my hands,
And ( Z ) my prayer is pure.

18 “Earth, do not cover my blood,
And may there be no resting place for my cry.
19 Even now, behold, ( AA ) my witness is in heaven,
And my [ g ] advocate is ( AB ) on high.
20 My friends are my scoffers;
( AC ) My eye weeps to God,
21 That one might plead for a man with God
As a son of man with his neighbor!
22 For when a few years are past,
I shall go the way ( AD ) of no return.

Footnotes

  1. Job 16:2 Lit Comforters of trouble
  2. Job 16:4 Lit your soul were in place of my soul
  3. Job 16:8 I.e., Job’s condition
  4. Job 16:9 Lit borne a grudge against me
  5. Job 16:9 Lit sharpens his eyes
  6. Job 16:10 Lit struck
  7. Job 16:19 Or witness

Job

16 Then Job replied:

2 “I have heard many things like these;
you are miserable comforters, ( A ) all of you! ( B )
3 Will your long-winded speeches never end? ( C )
What ails you that you keep on arguing? ( D )
4 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.
5 But my mouth would encourage you;
comfort ( F ) from my lips would bring you relief. ( G )

6 “Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved;
and if I refrain, it does not go away. ( H )
7 Surely, God, you have worn me out; ( I )
you have devastated my entire household. ( J )
8 You have shriveled me up—and it has become a witness;
my gauntness ( K ) rises up and testifies against me. ( L )
9 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
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