Job 16

₁Job said:

₂I have often heard this,

and it offers no comfort.

₃So why don't you keep quiet?

What's bothering you?

₄If I were in your place,

it would be easy to criticize

or to give advice.

₅But I would offer hope

and comfort instead.

₆If I speak, or if I don't,

I suffer all the same.

My torment continues.

₇God has worn me down

and destroyed my family;

₈my shrivelled up skin proves

that I am his prisoner.

₉God is my hateful enemy,

glaring at me and attacking

with his sharp teeth.

₁₀Everyone is against me;

they sneer and slap my face.

₁₁And God is the one

who handed me over

to this merciless mob.

₁₂Everything was going well,

until God grabbed my neck

and shook me to pieces.

God set me up as the target

₁₃for his arrows,

and without showing mercy,

he slashed my stomach open,

spilling out my insides.

₁₄God never stops attacking,

₁₅and so, in my sorrow

I dress in sackcloth

and sit in the dust.

₁₆My face is red with tears,

and dark shadows

circle my eyes,

₁₇though I am not violent,

and my prayers are sincere.

₁₈If I should die,

I beg the earth not to cover

my cry for justice.

₁₉Even now, God in heaven

is both my witness

and my protector.

₂₀My friends have rejected me,

but God is the one I beg

₂₁to show that I am right,

just as a friend should.

₂₂Because in only a few years,

I will be dead and gone.