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Job 16

Holman Christian Standard Bible, 2009 (HCSB)

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¹ Then Job answered:

² I have heard many things like these. You are all miserable comforters. ⓐ

³ Is there no end to your empty [1] ⓑ words? What provokes you that you continue testifying?

⁴ If you were in my place I could also talk like you. I could string words together against you and shake my head at you.

⁵ Instead, I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation from my lips would bring relief. ⓒ

⁶ Even if I speak, my suffering is not relieved, and if I hold back, what have I lost?

⁷ Surely He [2] has now exhausted me. You have devastated my entire family.

⁸ You have shriveled me up [3] — it has become a witness; My frailty rises up against me and testifies to my face.

⁹ His anger tears at me, and He harasses ⓓ me. He gnashes His teeth at me. My enemy pierces me with His eyes.

¹⁰ They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; ⓔ they join themselves together against me.

¹¹ God hands me over to unjust men; [4] He throws me into the hands of the wicked.

¹² I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the scruff of the neck and smashed me to pieces. He set me up as His target; ⓕ

¹³ His archers [5] surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and pours my bile on the ground.

¹⁴ He breaks through my defenses again and again; [6] He charges at me like a warrior. ⓖ

¹⁵ I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my strength [7] in the dust. ⓗ

¹⁶ My face has grown red with weeping, and darkness ⓘ covers my eyes,

¹⁷ although my hands are free from violence ⓙ and my prayer is pure.

¹⁸ Earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help find no resting place. ⓚ

¹⁹ Even now my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is in the heights! ⓛ

²⁰ My friends scoff at me as I weep before God.

²¹ I wish that someone might arbitrate between a man and God ⓜ just as a man pleads for his friend.

²² For only a few years will pass before I go the way of no return.

#	HCSB
1	Then Job answered:
2	I have heard many things like these. You are all miserable comforters. ⓐ
3	Is there no end to your empty [1] ⓑ words? What provokes you that you continue testifying?
4	If you were in my place I could also talk like you. I could string words together against you and shake my head at you.
5	Instead, I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation from my lips would bring relief. ⓒ
6	Even if I speak, my suffering is not relieved, and if I hold back, what have I lost?
7	Surely He [2] has now exhausted me. You have devastated my entire family.
8	You have shriveled me up [3] — it has become a witness; My frailty rises up against me and testifies to my face.
9	His anger tears at me, and He harasses ⓓ me. He gnashes His teeth at me. My enemy pierces me with His eyes.
10	They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; ⓔ they join themselves together against me.
11	God hands me over to unjust men; [4] He throws me into the hands of the wicked.
12	I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the scruff of the neck and smashed me to pieces. He set me up as His target; ⓕ
13	His archers [5] surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and pours my bile on the ground.
14	He breaks through my defenses again and again; [6] He charges at me like a warrior. ⓖ
15	I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my strength [7] in the dust. ⓗ
16	My face has grown red with weeping, and darkness ⓘ covers my eyes,
17	although my hands are free from violence ⓙ and my prayer is pure.
18	Earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help find no resting place. ⓚ
19	Even now my witness is in heaven, and my advocate is in the heights! ⓛ
20	My friends scoff at me as I weep before God.
21	I wish that someone might arbitrate between a man and God ⓜ just as a man pleads for his friend.
22	For only a few years will pass before I go the way of no return.

Footnotes & Cross-References

Cross-References

^{Job 16:20 [22]} Or My friends treat me with scorn

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