Job 16:6-16 - Compare All Versions

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“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. God assails me and tears me in his anger and gnashes his teeth at me; my opponent fastens on me his piercing eyes. People open their mouths to jeer at me; they strike my cheek in scorn and unite together against me. God has turned me over to the ungodly and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked. All was well with me, but he shattered me; he seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has made me his target; his archers surround me. Without pity, he pierces my kidneys and spills my gall on the ground. Again and again he bursts upon me; he rushes at me like a warrior. “I have sewed sackcloth over my skin and buried my brow in the dust. My face is red with weeping, dark shadows ring my eyes

“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. He has torn me in his wrath and hated me; he has gnashed his teeth at me; my adversary sharpens his eyes against me. Men have gaped at me with their mouth; they have struck me insolently on the cheek; they mass themselves together against me. God gives me up to the ungodly and casts me into the hands of the wicked. I was at ease, and he broke me apart; he seized me by the neck and dashed me to pieces; he set me up as his target; his archers surround me. He slashes open my kidneys and does not spare; he pours out my gall on the ground. He breaks me with breach upon breach; he runs upon me like a warrior. I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin and have laid my strength in the dust. My face is red with weeping, and on my eyelids is deep darkness

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. God hates me and angrily tears me apart. He snaps his teeth at me and pierces me with his eyes. People jeer and laugh at me. They slap my cheek in contempt. A mob gathers against me. God has handed me over to sinners. He has tossed me into the hands of the wicked. “I was living quietly until he shattered me. He took me by the neck and broke me in pieces. Then he set me up as his target, and now his archers surround me. His arrows pierce me without mercy. The ground is wet with my blood. Again and again he smashes against me, charging at me like a warrior. I wear burlap to show my grief. My pride lies in the dust. My eyes are red with weeping; dark shadows circle my eyes.

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. His anger tears at me, and he harasses   me. He gnashes his teeth at me. My enemy pierces me with his eyes. They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt;  they join themselves together against me. God hands me over to the unjust;  he throws me to the wicked. I was at ease, but he shattered me; he seized me by the scruff of the neck and smashed me to pieces. He set me up as his target;  his archers  surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and pours my bile on the ground. He breaks through my defenses again and again;  he charges at me like a warrior.  I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my strength  in the dust.  My face has grown red with weeping, and darkness  covers my eyes

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. He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: He gnasheth upon me with his teeth; Mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me. They have gaped upon me with their mouth; They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; They have gathered themselves together against me. God hath delivered me to the ungodly, And turned me over into the hands of the wicked. 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. His archers compass me round about, He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; He poureth out my gall upon the ground. He breaketh me with breach upon breach, He runneth upon me like a giant. I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, And defiled my horn in the dust. My face is foul with weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death

“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. He tears me in His wrath, and hates me; He gnashes at me with His teeth; My adversary sharpens His gaze on me. They gape at me with their mouth, They strike me reproachfully on the cheek, They gather together against me. God has delivered me to the ungodly, And turned me over to the hands of the wicked. I was at ease, but He has shattered me; He also has taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces; He has set me up for His target, His archers surround me. He pierces my heart and does not pity; He pours out my gall on the ground. He breaks me with wound upon wound; He runs at me like a warrior. “I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, And laid my head in the dust. My face is flushed from weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death

“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. “I sewed myself a shroud and wore it like a shirt; I lay facedown in the dirt. Now my face is blotched red from weeping; look at the dark shadows under my eyes, Even though I’ve never hurt a soul and my prayers are sincere!

¶“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. “His anger has torn me and hunted me down, He has gnashed at me with His teeth; My enemy glares at me. “They have gaped at me with their mouths, They have slapped me on the cheek with contempt; They have massed themselves against me. “God hands me over to criminals, And tosses me into the hands of the wicked. “I was at ease, but He shattered me, And He has grasped me by my neck and shaken me to pieces; He has also set me up as His target. “His arrows surround me. He splits my kidneys open without mercy; He pours out my bile on the ground. “He breaks through me with breach after breach; He runs at me like a warrior. “I have sewed sackcloth over my skin, And thrust my horn in the dust. “My face is flushed from weeping, And deep darkness is on my eyelids

¶“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]. “His wrath has torn me and hunted me down, He has gnashed at me with his teeth; My adversary sharpens His gaze and glares [with piercing eyes] at me. “They have gaped at me with their mouths, With contempt they have struck me on the cheek; They massed themselves together [and conspired] against me. [Ps 22:13; 35:21] “God hands me over to criminals And tosses me [headlong] into the hands of the wicked. “I was [living] at ease, but He crushed me and broke me apart, And He has seized me by the neck and has shaken me to pieces; He has also set me up as His target. “His arrows surround me. He pierces my kidneys (vital organs) without mercy; He pours out my gall on the ground. “He attacks me, making wound after wound; He runs at me like a warrior. “I have sewed sackcloth over my skin [as a sign of mourning] And have defiled my horn (symbol of strength) in the dust. “My face is red and swollen with weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death [my eyes are dimmed]

“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. His anger has torn me and persecuted me; he has gnashed at me with his teeth; my adversary locks his eyes on me. People have opened their mouths against me, they have struck my cheek in scorn; they unite together against me. God abandons me to evil men, and throws me into the hands of wicked men. I was in peace, and he has shattered me. He has seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has made me his target; his archers surround me. Without pity he pierces my kidneys and pours out my gall on the ground. He breaks through against me, time and time again; he rushes against me like a warrior. I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and buried my horn in the dust; my face is reddened because of weeping, and on my eyelids there is a deep darkness