Job 16-18

New International Version

² “I have heard many things like these;
    you are miserable comforters,^(A) all of you!^(B)
3 Will your long-winded speeches never end?^(C)
    What ails you that you keep on arguing?^(D)
4 I also could speak like you,
    if you were in my place;
I could make fine speeches against you
    and shake my head^(E) at you.
⁵ But my mouth would encourage you;
    comfort^(F) from my lips would bring you relief.^(G)

⁶ “Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved;
    and if I refrain, it does not go away.^(H)
7 Surely, God, you have worn me out;^(I)
    you have devastated my entire household.^(J)
8 You have shriveled me up—and it has become a witness;
    my gauntness^(K) rises up and testifies against me.^(L)
9 God assails me and tears^(M) me in his anger^(N)
    and gnashes his teeth at me;^(O)
    my opponent fastens on me his piercing eyes.^(P)
10 People open their mouths^(Q) to jeer at me;^(R)
    they strike my cheek^(S) in scorn
    and unite together against me.^(T)
11 God has turned me over to the ungodly
    and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked.^(U)
12 All was well with me, but he shattered me;
    he seized me by the neck and crushed me.^(V)
He has made me his target;^(W)
13     his archers surround me.^(X)
Without pity, he pierces^(Y) my kidneys
    and spills my gall on the ground.
¹⁴ Again and again^(Z) he bursts upon me;
    he rushes at me like a warrior.^(AA)

¹⁵ “I have sewed sackcloth^(AB) over my skin
    and buried my brow in the dust.^(AC)
16 My face is red with weeping,^(AD)
    dark shadows ring my eyes;^(AE)
17 yet my hands have been free of violence^(AF)
    and my prayer is pure.^(AG)

¹⁸ “Earth, do not cover my blood;^(AH)
    may my cry^(AI) never be laid to rest!^(AJ)
19 Even now my witness^(AK) is in heaven;^(AL)
    my advocate is on high.^(AM)
20 My intercessor^(AN) is my friend^[a](AO)
    as my eyes pour out^(AP) tears^(AQ) to God;
²¹ on behalf of a man he pleads^(AR) with God
    as one pleads for a friend.

²² “Only a few years will pass
    before I take the path of no return.^(AS)

³ “Give me, O God, the pledge you demand.^(AY)
    Who else will put up security^(AZ) for me?^(BA)
4 You have closed their minds to understanding;^(BB)
    therefore you will not let them triumph.
⁵ If anyone denounces their friends for reward,^(BC)
    the eyes of their children will fail.^(BD)

⁶ “God has made me a byword^(BE) to everyone,^(BF)
    a man in whose face people spit.^(BG)
7 My eyes have grown dim with grief;^(BH)
    my whole frame is but a shadow.^(BI)
8 The upright are appalled at this;
    the innocent are aroused^(BJ) against the ungodly.
⁹ Nevertheless, the righteous^(BK) will hold to their ways,
    and those with clean hands^(BL) will grow stronger.^(BM)

¹⁰ “But come on, all of you, try again!
    I will not find a wise man among you.^(BN)
11 My days have passed,^(BO) my plans are shattered.
    Yet the desires of my heart^(BP)
12 turn night into day;^(BQ)
    in the face of the darkness light is near.^(BR)
13 If the only home I hope for is the grave,^(BS)
    if I spread out my bed^(BT) in the realm of darkness,^(BU)
14 if I say to corruption,^(BV) ‘You are my father,’
    and to the worm,^(BW) ‘My mother’ or ‘My sister,’
¹⁵ where then is my hope—^(BX)
    who can see any hope for me?^(BY)
16 Will it go down to the gates of death?^(BZ)
    Will we descend together into the dust?”^(CA)

² “When will you end these speeches?^(CC)
    Be sensible, and then we can talk.
³ Why are we regarded as cattle^(CD)
    and considered stupid in your sight?^(CE)
4 You who tear yourself^(CF) to pieces in your anger,^(CG)
    is the earth to be abandoned for your sake?
    Or must the rocks be moved from their place?^(CH)

⁵ “The lamp of a wicked man is snuffed out;^(CI)
    the flame of his fire stops burning.^(CJ)
6 The light in his tent^(CK) becomes dark;^(CL)
    the lamp beside him goes out.^(CM)
7 The vigor^(CN) of his step is weakened;^(CO)
    his own schemes^(CP) throw him down.^(CQ)
8 His feet thrust him into a net;^(CR)
    he wanders into its mesh.
⁹ A trap seizes him by the heel;
    a snare^(CS) holds him fast.^(CT)
10 A noose^(CU) is hidden for him on the ground;
    a trap^(CV) lies in his path.^(CW)
11 Terrors^(CX) startle him on every side^(CY)
    and dog^(CZ) his every step.
¹² Calamity^(DA) is hungry^(DB) for him;
    disaster^(DC) is ready for him when he falls.^(DD)
13 It eats away parts of his skin;^(DE)
    death’s firstborn devours his limbs.^(DF)
14 He is torn from the security of his tent^(DG)
    and marched off to the king^(DH) of terrors.^(DI)
15 Fire resides^[b] in his tent;^(DJ)
    burning sulfur^(DK) is scattered over his dwelling.
¹⁶ His roots dry up below^(DL)
    and his branches wither above.^(DM)
17 The memory of him perishes from the earth;^(DN)
    he has no name^(DO) in the land.^(DP)
18 He is driven from light into the realm of darkness^(DQ)
    and is banished^(DR) from the world.^(DS)
19 He has no offspring^(DT) or descendants^(DU) among his people,
    no survivor^(DV) where once he lived.^(DW)
20 People of the west are appalled^(DX) at his fate;^(DY)
    those of the east are seized with horror.
²¹ Surely such is the dwelling^(DZ) of an evil man;^(EA)
    such is the place^(EB) of one who does not know God.”^(EC)