Job 16–18

Chapter 16

Then Job answered, and said:

²I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters.

³Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak?

⁵I also could speak like you: and would God your soul were for my soul. I would comfort you also with words, and would wag my head over you.

⁶I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as sparing you.

⁷But what shall I do? If I speak, my pain will not rest: and if I hold my peace, it will not depart from me.

⁸But now my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing.

⁹My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting me.

¹⁰He hath gathered together his fury against me, and threatening me he hath gnashed with his teeth upon me: my enemy hath beheld me with terrible eyes.

¹¹They have opened their mouths upon me, and reproaching me they have struck me on the cheek, they are filled with my pains.

¹²God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked.

¹³I that was formerly so wealthy, am all on a sudden broken to pieces: he hath taken me by my neck, he hath broken me, and hath set me up to be his mark.

¹⁴He hath compassed me round about with his lances, he hath wounded my loins, he hath not spared, and hath poured out my bowels on the earth,

¹⁵He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant.

¹⁶I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.

¹⁷My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.

¹⁸These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God.

¹⁹O earth, cover not thou my blood, neither let my cry find a hiding place in thee.

²⁰For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.

²¹My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God.

²²And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!

²³For behold short years pass away, and I am walking in a path by which I shall not return.

Chapter 17

My spirit shall be wasted, my days shall be shortened and only the grave remaineth for me.

²I have not sinned, and my eye abideth in bitterness.

³Deliver me, O Lord, and set me beside thee, and let any man’s hand fight against me.

⁴Thou hast set their heart far from understanding, therefore they shall not be exalted.

⁵He promiseth a prey to his companions, and the eyes of his children shall fail.

⁶He hath made me as it were a byword of the people, and I am an example before them.

⁷My eye is dim through indignation, and my limbs are brought as it were to nothing.

⁸The just shall be astonished at this, and the innocent shall be raised up against the hypocrite.

⁹And the just man shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.

¹⁰Wherefore be you all converted, and come, and I shall not find among you any wise man.

¹¹My days have passed away, my thoughts are dissipated, tormenting my heart.

¹²They have turned night into day, and after darkness I hope for light again.

¹³If I wait hell is my house, and I have made my bed in darkness.

¹⁴I have said to rottenness: Thou art my father; to worms, my mother and my sister.

¹⁵Where is now then my expectation, and who considereth my patience?

¹⁶All that I have shall go down into the deepest pit: thinkest thou that there at least I shall have rest?

Chapter 18

Then Baldad the Suhite answered, and said:

²How long will you throw out words? understand first, and so let us speak.

³Why are we reputed as beasts, and counted vile before you?

⁴Thou that destroyest thy soul in thy fury, shall the earth be forsaken for thee, and shall rocks be removed out of their place?

⁵Shall not the light of the wicked be extinguished, and the flame of his fire not shine?

⁶The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and the lamp that is over him, shall be put out.

⁷The step of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down headlong.

⁸For he hath thrust his feet into a net, and walketh in its meshes.

⁹The sole of his foot shall be held in a snare, and thirst shall burn against him.

¹⁰A gin is hidden for him in the earth, and his trap upon the path.

¹¹Fears shall terrify him on every side, and shall entangle his feet.

¹²Let his strength be wasted with famine, and let hunger invade his ribs.

¹³Let it devour the beauty of his skin, let the firstborn death consume his arms.

¹⁴Let his confidence be rooted out of his tabernacle, and let destruction tread upon him like a king.

¹⁵Let the companions of him that is not, dwell in his tabernacle, let brimstone be sprinkled in his tent.

¹⁶Let his roots be dried up beneath, and his harvest destroyed above.

¹⁷Let the memory of him perish from the earth, and let not his name be renowned in the streets.

¹⁸He shall drive him out of light into darkness, and shall remove him out of the world.

¹⁹His seed shall not subsist, nor his offspring among his people, nor any remnants in his country.

²⁰They that come after him shall be astonished at his day, and horror shall fall upon them that went before.

²¹These then are the tabernacles of the wicked, and this the place of him that knoweth not God.