Job 16 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Then Job answered:

I have heard all of this before, and plenty more like it. Comforters, every one of you — and every word you bring only adds to the misery.

Is there no end to your words of wind? What sickness goads you into answering?

I could talk the way you talk, if you were the one standing where I stand. I could stitch fine speeches together against you and shake my head over you.

But my mouth would put strength in you, and the movement of my lips would hold your pain back.

If I speak, the pain is not held back. If I say nothing, how much of it leaves me?

He has worn me down to nothing. You have wiped out everyone who belonged to me.

You have shriveled me up, and the shriveling stands as a witness. My wasted body rises against me and testifies to my face.

His anger tore at me and would not let the grudge go. He ground his teeth at me. My enemy sharpens his eyes on me.

They open their mouths wide at me. They slap my face to shame me. They mass together and close in.

God turns me over to the crooked. He throws me into the hands of the guilty.

I was at ease, and he broke me apart. He took me by the neck and shook me to pieces. He stood me up as his target.

His archers ring me around. He splits my insides open and spares nothing — he pours my gall out on the ground.

He breaks through me, breach after breach. He charges me like a soldier storming a wall.

I have sewn rough sacking over my skin, and driven my horn down into the dust.

My face is red and swollen from crying, and the shadow of death lies on my eyelids.

And there is no violence on my hands. My prayer is clean.

Earth, do not cover my blood. Let my cry never find a place to lie down.

Even now — look — my witness is in heaven. The one who will vouch for me is up in the heights.

My friends pour scorn on me while my eyes drip tears toward God.

Let someone argue a man's case against God the way a person argues for his friend.

Because the years I have left can be counted, and then I go down the road I do not come back from.