Job

Chapter 16

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¹Then Job answered and said,1 sermon²I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.3 sermons³Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?1 sermon⁴I 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.1 sermon⁵But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.⁶Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?⁷But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.⁸And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.⁹He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.¹⁰They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.1 sermon¹¹God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.1 sermon¹²I 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.¹³His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.¹⁴He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.¹⁵I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.¹⁶My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;¹⁷Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.¹⁸O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.¹⁹Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.²⁰My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.²¹O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!²²When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.