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Job

Explores the themes of suffering and faith through the story of Job, a man tested by losing everything.

Chapter 16

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1 Then Job answered and said,

*Then Job replied,

2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

*I've heard lots of similar messages: you all are just sad comfort givers.

3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

*Will empty words stop? Or what makes you brave enough to reply?

4 I 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.

*I can talk like you too. If we switched souls, I could say a lot of words against you and shake my head disapprovingly.

5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

*But I will make you strong with my words, and moving my lips will help ease your sadness.

6 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?

*Even when I talk, my sadness isn't lessened. And even if I stay quiet, I still feel the same.

7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.

*But now, he has made me tired: you have made everyone I know feel abandoned.

8 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.

*You have given me many wrinkles, which act as evidence against me. My thinness also testifies to my face.

9 He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

*He rips me apart in anger, the one who hates me: he bites onto me with his teeth; my enemy watches me closely.

10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

*They have stared at me angrily with their mouths; they have hit me disrespectfully on the cheek; they have all joined together to oppose me.

11 God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

*God has given me to the bad people, and handed me over to the evil ones.

12 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.

*I was relaxed, but he tore me apart: he also grabbed my neck, shook me into pieces, and put me back together as his target.

13 His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.

*His archers surround me, breaking my strength and not stopping; they spill my blood on the ground.

14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.

*He keeps hurting me over and over, he rushes at me like a huge person.

15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.

*I've put rough fabric on my body and dirtied my horn in the ground.

16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

*My face is full of tears, and death's shadow is on my eyes.

17 Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.

*I won't do anything unfair, and my prayer is sincere.

18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

*Earth, don't hide my blood, and don't let my scream be heard.

19 Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.

*Now, see, my witness is in heaven, and my record is up high.

20 My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

*My friends mock me, but I cry to God for help.

21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

*Oh, how wonderful it would be if someone could intercede for a person with God, just like how people intercede for each other.

22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

*In a few years, I will go a path from which I won't come back.

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