Job 6
1 And Job answers and says:
Then Job answered and said:
2 “O that my provocation were thoroughly weighed, And my calamity in balances They would lift up together!
O that my grief were weighed thoroughly! That my calamities were put together in the balance!
3 For now it is heavier than the sands of the sea, Therefore my words have been rash.
Surely they would be heavier than the sand of the sea; On this account were my words rash.
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 have pierced me; Their poison drinketh up my spirit; The terrors of God set themselves in array against me.
5 Does a wild donkey bray over tender grass? Does an ox low over his provender?
Doth the wild ass bray in the midst of grass? Or loweth 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? Is there any taste in the white of an egg?
7 My soul is refusing to touch! They [are] as my sickening food.
That which my soul abhorreth to touch Hath become my loathsome food.
8 O that my request may come, That God may grant my hope!
O that I might have my request, And that God would grant me that which I long for!
9 That God would please—and bruise me, Loose His hand and cut me off!
That it would please God to destroy me; That he would let loose his hand, and make an end of me!
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.
Yet it should still be my consolation, Yea, in unsparing anguish I would exult, That I have not denied the commands 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 mine end, that I should be patient?
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?
Alas, there is no help within me! Deliverance is driven from me!
14 To a despiser of his friends [is] shame, And the fear of the Mighty he forsakes.
To the afflicted, kindness should be shown by a friend; Else he casteth off the fear of the Almighty.
15 My brothers have deceived as a brook, As a stream of brooks they pass away.
But my brethren are faithless like a brook; Like streams of the valley that pass away;
16 That are black because of ice, By them snow hides itself.
Which are turbid by reason of the ice, And the snow, which hideth itself in them.
17 By the time they are warm they have been cut off, By its being hot they have been Extinguished from their place.
As soon as they flow forth, they vanish; When the heat cometh, they are dried up from their place.
18 The paths turn aside of their way, They ascend into emptiness, and are lost.
The caravans turn aside to them on their way; They go up into the desert, and perish.
19 Passengers of Tema looked expectingly, Travelers of Sheba hoped for them.
The caravans of Tema look for them; The companies of Sheba expect to see them;
20 They were ashamed that one has trusted, They have come to it and are confounded.
They are ashamed that they have relied on them; They come to their place, and are confounded.
21 Surely now you have become the same! You see a downfall, and are afraid.
So ye also are nothing; Ye see a terror, and shrink back.
22 Is it because I said, Give to me? And, By your power bribe for me?
Have I said, Bring me gifts? Or, Give a present for me out 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, Rescue me from the hand of the violent?
24 Show me, and I keep silent, And what I have erred, let me understand.
Convince me, and I will hold my peace; Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
25 How powerful have been upright sayings, And what reproof from you reproves?
How powerful are the words of truth! But what do your reproaches prove?
26 For reproof—do you reckon words? And for wind—sayings of the desperate?
Do ye mean to censure words? The words of a man in despair are but wind.
27 You cause anger to fall on the fatherless, And are strange to your friend.
Truly ye spread a net for the fatherless; Ye dig a pit for your friend.
28 And now, please, look on me, Even to your face do I lie?
Look now upon me, I pray you; For to your very face can I speak falsehood?
29 Please turn back, let it not be perverseness, Indeed, turn back again—my righteousness [is] in it.
Return, I pray, and let there be no unfairness; Yea, return; —still is my cause righteous.
30 Is there perverseness in my tongue? Does my palate not discern calamity?”
Is there iniquity on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern what is sinful?
