Job 16 Parallel Bible Translations

Job 16 ▼
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1 Then Job answered and said, Then Job answered and said: Then Job replied:
2 “I have heard many such things; Wearisome and miserable comforters are you all. “I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all. “I have heard many things like these; you are miserable comforters, all of you!
3 “Is there no end to [your futile] words of wind? Or what plagues you [so much] that you [so boldly] answer [me like this]? Shall windy words have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer? Will your long-winded speeches never end? What ails you that you keep on arguing?
4 “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. 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 also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could make fine speeches against you and shake my head at you.
5 “[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. I could strengthen you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips would assuage your pain. But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.
6 “If I speak [to you miserable comforters], my pain is not relieved; And if I refrain [from speaking], what [pain or anguish] leaves me? “If I speak, my pain is not assuaged, and if I forbear, how much of it leaves me? “Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved; and if I refrain, it does not go away.
7 “But now God has exhausted me. You [O Lord] have destroyed all my family and my household. Surely now God has worn me out; he has made desolate all my company. Surely, God, you have worn me out; you have devastated my entire household.
8 “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]. 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. You have shriveled me up—and it has become a witness; my gauntness rises up and testifies against me.
9 “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. He has torn me in his wrath and hated me; he has gnashed his teeth at me; my adversary sharpens his eyes 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.
10 “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. Men have gaped at me with their mouth; they have struck me insolently on the cheek; they mass themselves together against me. People open their mouths to jeer at me; they strike my cheek in scorn and unite together against me.
11 “God hands me over to criminals And tosses me [headlong] into the hands of the wicked. God gives me up to the ungodly and casts me into the hands of the wicked. God has turned me over to the ungodly and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked.
12 “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. 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; All was well with me, but he shattered me; he seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has made me his target;
13 “His arrows surround me. He pierces my kidneys (vital organs) without mercy; He pours out my gall on the ground. his archers surround me. He slashes open my kidneys and does not spare; he pours out my gall on the ground. his archers surround me. Without pity, he pierces my kidneys and spills my gall on the ground.
14 “He attacks me, making wound after wound; He runs at me like a warrior. He breaks me with breach upon breach; he runs upon me like a warrior. Again and again he bursts upon me; he rushes at me like a warrior.
15 “I have sewed sackcloth over my skin [as a sign of mourning] And have defiled my horn (symbol of strength) in the dust. I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin and have laid my strength in the dust. “I have sewed sackcloth over my skin and buried my brow in the dust.
16 “My face is red and swollen with weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death [my eyes are dimmed], My face is red with weeping, and on my eyelids is deep darkness, My face is red with weeping, dark shadows ring my eyes;
17 Although there is no violence or wrongdoing in my hands, And my prayer is pure. although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure. yet my hands have been free of violence and my prayer is pure.
18 “O earth, do not cover my blood, And let there be no [resting] place for my cry [where it will cease being heard]. “O earth, cover not my blood, and let my cry find no resting place. “Earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry never be laid to rest!
19 “Even now, behold, my Witness is in heaven, And my Advocate [who vouches and testifies for me] is on high. Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high. Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high.
20 “My friends are scoffers [who ridicule]; My eye pours out tears to God. My friends scorn me; my eye pours out tears to God, My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God;
21 “Oh, that a man would mediate and plead with God [for me] Just as a man [mediates and pleads] with his neighbor and friend. that he would argue the case of a man with God, as a son of man does with his neighbor. on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend.
22 “For when a few years are past, I shall go the way of no return. For when a few years have come I shall go the way from which I shall not return. “Only a few years will pass before I take the path of no return.
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