Job 16:1-8 - Compare All Versions

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Then Job replied: “I have heard many things like these; you are miserable comforters, all of you! Will your long-winded speeches never end? What ails you that you keep on arguing? I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could make fine speeches against you and shake my head at you. But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief. “Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved; and if I refrain, it does not go away. Surely, God, you have worn me out; you have devastated my entire household. You have shriveled me up—and it has become a witness; my gauntness rises up and testifies against me.

Then Job answered and said: “I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all. Shall windy words have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer? I also could speak as you do, if you were in my place; I could join words together against you and shake my head at you. I could strengthen you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips would assuage your pain. “If I speak, my pain is not assuaged, and if I forbear, how much of it leaves me? Surely now God has worn me out; he has made desolate all my company. And he has shriveled me up, which is a witness against me, and my leanness has risen up against me; it testifies to my face.

Then Job spoke again: “I have heard all this before. What miserable comforters you are! Won’t you ever stop blowing hot air? What makes you keep on talking? I could say the same things if you were in my place. I could spout off criticism and shake my head at you. But if it were me, I would encourage you. I would try to take away your grief. Instead, I suffer if I defend myself, and I suffer no less if I refuse to speak. “O God, you have ground me down and devastated my family. As if to prove I have sinned, you’ve reduced me to skin and bones. My gaunt flesh testifies against me.

Then Job answered: I have heard many things like these. You are all miserable comforters.  Is there no end to your empty  ,  words? What provokes you that you continue testifying? If you were in my place I could also talk like you. I could string words together against you and shake my head at you. Instead, I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation from my lips would bring relief.  If I speak, my suffering is not relieved, and if I hold back, does any of it leave me? Surely he  has now exhausted me. You have devastated my entire family. You have shriveled me up   — it has become a witness; my frailty rises up against me and testifies to my face.

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.

Then Job answered and said: “I have heard many such things; Miserable comforters are you all! Shall words of wind have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer? I also could speak as you do, If your soul were in my soul’s place. I could heap up words against you, And shake my head at you; But I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief. “Though I speak, my grief is not relieved; And if I remain silent, how am I eased? But now He has worn me out; You have made desolate all my company. You have shriveled me up, And it is a witness against me; My leanness rises up against me And bears witness to my face.

Then Job defended himself: “I’ve had all I can take of your talk. What a bunch of miserable comforters! Is there no end to your windbag speeches? What’s your problem that you go on and on like this? If you were in my shoes, I could talk just like you. I could put together a terrific tirade and really let you have it. But I’d never do that. I’d console and comfort, make things better, not worse! “When I speak up, I feel no better; if I say nothing, that doesn’t help either. I feel worn down. God, you have wasted me totally—me and my family! You’ve shriveled me like a dried prune, showing the world that you’re against me. My gaunt face stares back at me from the mirror, a mute witness to your treatment of me. Your anger tears at me, your teeth rip me to shreds, your eyes burn holes in me—God, my enemy! People take one look at me and gasp. Contemptuous, they slap me around and gang up against me. And God just stands there and lets them do it, lets wicked people do what they want with me. I was contentedly minding my business when God beat me up. He grabbed me by the neck and threw me around. He set me up as his target, then rounded up archers to shoot at me. Merciless, they shot me full of arrows; bitter bile poured from my gut to the ground. He burst in on me, onslaught after onslaught, charging me like a mad bull.

Then Job responded, “I have heard many things like these; Miserable comforters are you all! “Is there no end to windy words? Or what provokes you that you answer? “I too could speak like you, If only I were in your place. I could compose words against you And shake my head at you. “Or I could strengthen you with my mouth, And the condolence of my lips could lessen your pain. ¶“If I speak, my pain is not lessened, And if I refrain, what pain leaves me? “But now He has exhausted me; You have laid waste all my group of loved ones. “And You have shriveled me up, It has become a witness; And my infirmity rises up against me, It testifies to my face.

Then Job answered and said, “I have heard many such things; Wearisome and miserable comforters are you all. “Is there no end to [your futile] words of wind? Or what plagues you [so much] that you [so boldly] answer [me like this]? “I also could speak like you, If you were in my place; I could compose and join words together against you And shake my head at you. “[But instead] I could strengthen and encourage you with [the words of] my mouth, And the consolation and solace of my lips would soothe your suffering and lessen your anguish. ¶“If I speak [to you miserable comforters], my pain is not relieved; And if I refrain [from speaking], what [pain or anguish] leaves me? “But now God has exhausted me. You [O Lord] have destroyed all my family and my household. “You have taken a firm hold on me and have shriveled me up, It has become a witness [against me]; And my leanness [and infirmity] rises up [as evidence] against me, It testifies to my face [about my guilt].

Then Job replied: “I have heard many things like these before. What miserable comforters are you all! Will there be an end to your windy words? Or what provokes you that you answer? I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could pile up words against you and I could shake my head at you. But I would strengthen you with my words; comfort from my lips would bring you relief. “But if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I refrain from speaking – how much of it goes away? Surely now he has worn me out, you have devastated my entire household. You have seized me, and it has become a witness; my leanness has risen up against me and testifies against me.