Job 6
1 And Job answers and says:
And Job made answer and said,
2 “O that my provocation were thoroughly weighed, And my calamity in balances They would lift up together!
If only my passion might be measured, and put into the scales against my trouble!
3 For now it is heavier than the sands of the sea, Therefore my words have been rash.
For then its weight would be more than the sand of the seas: because of this my words have been uncontrolled.
4 For arrows of the Mighty [are] with me, Whose poison is drinking up my spirit. Terrors of God array themselves [for] me!
For the arrows of the Ruler of all are present with me, and their poison goes deep into my spirit: his army of fears is put in order against me.
5 Does a wild donkey bray over tender grass? Does an ox low over his provender?
Does the ass of the fields give out his voice when he has grass? or does the ox make sounds over his food?
6 Is an insipid thing eaten without salt? Is there sense in the drivel of dreams?
Will a man take food which has no taste without salt? or is there any taste in the soft substance of purslain?
7 My soul is refusing to touch! They [are] as my sickening food.
My soul has no desire for such things, they are as disease in my food.
8 O that my request may come, That God may grant my hope!
If only I might have an answer to my prayer, and God would give me my desire!
9 That God would please—and bruise me, Loose His hand and cut me off!
If only he would be pleased to put an end to me; and would let loose his hand, so that I might be cut off!
10 And yet it is my comfort (And I exult in pain—He does not spare), That I have not hidden The sayings of the Holy One.
So I would still have comfort, and I would have joy in the pains of death, for I have not been false to the words of the Holy One.
11 What [is] my power that I should hope? And what [is] my end that I should prolong my life?
Have I strength to go on waiting, or have I any end to be looking forward to?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones? Is my flesh bronze?
Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh brass?
13 Is my help not with me, And substance driven from me?
I have no help in myself, and wisdom is completely gone from me.
14 To a despiser of his friends [is] shame, And the fear of the Mighty he forsakes.
He whose heart is shut against his friend has given up the fear of the Ruler of all.
15 My brothers have deceived as a brook, As a stream of brooks they pass away.
My friends have been false like a stream, like streams in the valleys which come to an end:
16 That are black because of ice, By them snow hides itself.
Which are dark because of the ice, and the snow falling into them;
17 By the time they are warm they have been cut off, By its being hot they have been Extinguished from their place.
Under the burning sun they are cut off, and come to nothing because of the heat.
18 The paths turn aside of their way, They ascend into emptiness, and are lost.
The camel-trains go out of their way; they go up into the waste and come to destruction.
19 Passengers of Tema looked expectingly, Travelers of Sheba hoped for them.
The camel-trains of Tema were searching with care, the bands of Sheba were waiting for them:
20 They were ashamed that one has trusted, They have come to it and are confounded.
They were put to shame because of their hope; they came and their hope was gone.
21 Surely now you have become the same! You see a downfall, and are afraid.
So have you now become to me; you see my sad condition and are in fear.
22 Is it because I said, Give to me? And, By your power bribe for me?
Did I say, Give me something? or, Make a payment for me out of your wealth?
23 And, Deliver me from the hand of an adversary? And, Ransom me from the hand of terrible ones?
Or, Get me out of the power of my hater? or, Give money so that I may be free from the power of the cruel ones?
24 Show me, and I keep silent, And what I have erred, let me understand.
Give me teaching and I will be quiet; and make me see my error.
25 How powerful have been upright sayings, And what reproof from you reproves?
How pleasing are upright words! but what force is there in your arguments?
26 For reproof—do you reckon words? And for wind—sayings of the desperate?
My words may seem wrong to you, but the words of him who has no hope are for the wind.
27 You cause anger to fall on the fatherless, And are strange to your friend.
Truly, you are such as would give up the child of a dead man to his creditors, and would make a profit out of your friend.
28 And now, please, look on me, Even to your face do I lie?
Now then, let your eyes be turned to me, for truly I will not say what is false to your face.
29 Please turn back, let it not be perverseness, Indeed, turn back again—my righteousness [is] in it.
Let your minds be changed, and do not have an evil opinion of me; yes, be changed, for my righteousness is still in me.
30 Is there perverseness in my tongue? Does my palate not discern calamity?”
Is there evil in my tongue? is not the cause of my trouble clear to me?
