Job 16 - American Standard Version 2015

¹ Then Job answered and said,

² I have heard many such things:\par\tab Miserable comforters are ye all.

³ Shall vain words have an end?\par\tab Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?

⁴ I also could speak as ye do;\par\tab If your soul were in my soul's stead,\par\tab I could join words together against you,\par\tab And shake my head at you.

⁵ {\i But} I would strengthen you with my mouth,\par\tab And the solace of my lips would assuage {\i your grief}.\par

⁶ Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged;\par\tab And though I forbear, what am I eased?

⁷ But now he hath made me weary:\par\tab Thou hast made desolate all my company.

⁸ And thou hast laid fast hold on me, {\i which} is a witness {\i against me}:\par\tab And my leanness riseth up against me,\par\tab It testifieth to my face.

⁹ He hath torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me;\par\tab He hath gnashed upon me with his teeth:\par\tab Mine adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

¹⁰ They have gaped upon me with their mouth;\par\tab They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully:\par\tab They gather themselves together against me.

¹¹ God delivereth me to the ungodly,\par\tab And casteth me into the hands of the wicked.

¹² I was at ease, and he brake me asunder;\par\tab Yea, he hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces:\par\tab He hath also set me up for his mark.

¹³ His archers compass me round about;\par\tab He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare;\par\tab He poureth out my gall upon the ground.

¹⁴ He breaketh me with breach upon breach;\par\tab He runneth upon me like a giant.

¹⁵ I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin,\par\tab And have laid my horn in the dust.

¹⁶ My face is red with weeping,\par\tab And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

¹⁷ Although there is no violence in my hands,\par\tab And my prayer is pure.\par

¹⁸ O earth, cover not thou my blood,\par\tab And let my cry have no {\i resting}-place.

¹⁹ Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven,\par\tab And he that voucheth for me is on high.

²⁰ My friends scoff at me:\par\tab {\i But} mine eye poureth out tears unto God,

²¹ That he would maintain the right of a man with God,\par\tab And of a son of man with his neighbor!

²² For when a few years are come,\par\tab I shall go the way whence I shall not return.\par