“1 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 16:1-22 AV)
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