Job 6
1 And Job answers and says:
But Job answered and said,
2 “O that my provocation were thoroughly weighed, And my calamity in balances They would lift up together!
Oh that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!
3 For now it is heavier than the sands of the sea, Therefore my words have been rash.
For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.
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 Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinks up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.
5 Does a wild donkey bray over tender grass? Does an ox low over his provender?
Does the wild ass bray when he has grass? or lows the ox over his fodder?
6 Is an insipid thing eaten without salt? Is there sense in the drivel of dreams?
Can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
7 My soul is refusing to touch! They [are] as my sickening food.
The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.
8 O that my request may come, That God may grant my hope!
Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
9 That God would please—and bruise me, Loose His hand and cut me off!
Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me 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.
Then should I yet have comfort; yes, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed 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?
What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones? Is my flesh bronze?
Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?
13 Is my help not with me, And substance driven from me?
Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?
14 To a despiser of his friends [is] shame, And the fear of the Mighty he forsakes.
To him that is afflicted pity should be showed from his friend; but he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15 My brothers have deceived as a brook, As a stream of brooks they pass away.
My brothers have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;
16 That are black because of ice, By them snow hides itself.
Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:
17 By the time they are warm they have been cut off, By its being hot they have been Extinguished from their place.
What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.
18 The paths turn aside of their way, They ascend into emptiness, and are lost.
The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.
19 Passengers of Tema looked expectingly, Travelers of Sheba hoped for them.
The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.
20 They were ashamed that one has trusted, They have come to it and are confounded.
They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.
21 Surely now you have become the same! You see a downfall, and are afraid.
For now you are nothing; you see my casting down, and are afraid.
22 Is it because I said, Give to me? And, By your power bribe for me?
Did I say, Bring to me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?
23 And, Deliver me from the hand of an adversary? And, Ransom me from the hand of terrible ones?
Or, Deliver me from the enemy’s hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?
24 Show me, and I keep silent, And what I have erred, let me understand.
Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
25 How powerful have been upright sayings, And what reproof from you reproves?
How forcible are right words! but what does your arguing reprove?
26 For reproof—do you reckon words? And for wind—sayings of the desperate?
Do you imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?
27 You cause anger to fall on the fatherless, And are strange to your friend.
Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless, and you dig a pit for your friend.
28 And now, please, look on me, Even to your face do I lie?
Now therefore be content, look on me; for it is evident to you if I lie.
29 Please turn back, let it not be perverseness, Indeed, turn back again—my righteousness [is] in it.
Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yes, return again, my righteousness is in it.
30 Is there perverseness in my tongue? Does my palate not discern calamity?”
Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?
