Job 6
1 Then Job answered and said:
And Job answers and says:
2 O that my grief were weighed thoroughly! That my calamities were put together in the balance!
“O that my provocation were thoroughly weighed, And my calamity in balances They would lift up together!
3 Surely they would be heavier than the sand of the sea; On this account were my words rash.
For now it is heavier than the sands of the sea, Therefore my words have been rash.
4 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.
For arrows of the Mighty [are] with me, Whose poison is drinking up my spirit. Terrors of God array themselves [for] me!
5 Doth the wild ass bray in the midst of grass? Or loweth the ox over his fodder?
Does a wild donkey bray over tender grass? Does an ox low over his provender?
6 Can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt? Is there any taste in the white of an egg?
Is an insipid thing eaten without salt? Is there sense in the drivel of dreams?
7 That which my soul abhorreth to touch Hath become my loathsome food.
My soul is refusing to touch! They [are] as my sickening food.
8 O that I might have my request, And that God would grant me that which I long for!
O that my request may come, That God may grant my hope!
9 That it would please God to destroy me; That he would let loose his hand, and make an end of me!
That God would please—and bruise me, Loose His hand and cut me off!
10 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.
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.
11 What is my strength, that I should hope? And what mine end, that I should be patient?
What [is] my power that I should hope? And what [is] my end that I should prolong my life?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh brass?
Is my strength the strength of stones? Is my flesh bronze?
13 Alas, there is no help within me! Deliverance is driven from me!
Is my help not with me, And substance driven from me?
14 To the afflicted, kindness should be shown by a friend; Else he casteth off the fear of the Almighty.
To a despiser of his friends [is] shame, And the fear of the Mighty he forsakes.
15 But my brethren are faithless like a brook; Like streams of the valley that pass away;
My brothers have deceived as a brook, As a stream of brooks they pass away.
16 Which are turbid by reason of the ice, And the snow, which hideth itself in them.
That are black because of ice, By them snow hides itself.
17 As soon as they flow forth, they vanish; When the heat cometh, they are dried up from their place.
By the time they are warm they have been cut off, By its being hot they have been Extinguished from their place.
18 The caravans turn aside to them on their way; They go up into the desert, and perish.
The paths turn aside of their way, They ascend into emptiness, and are lost.
19 The caravans of Tema look for them; The companies of Sheba expect to see them;
Passengers of Tema looked expectingly, Travelers of Sheba hoped for them.
20 They are ashamed that they have relied on them; They come to their place, and are confounded.
They were ashamed that one has trusted, They have come to it and are confounded.
21 So ye also are nothing; Ye see a terror, and shrink back.
Surely now you have become the same! You see a downfall, and are afraid.
22 Have I said, Bring me gifts? Or, Give a present for me out of your substance?
Is it because I said, Give to me? And, By your power bribe for me?
23 Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? Or, Rescue me from the hand of the violent?
And, Deliver me from the hand of an adversary? And, Ransom me from the hand of terrible ones?
24 Convince me, and I will hold my peace; Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
Show me, and I keep silent, And what I have erred, let me understand.
25 How powerful are the words of truth! But what do your reproaches prove?
How powerful have been upright sayings, And what reproof from you reproves?
26 Do ye mean to censure words? The words of a man in despair are but wind.
For reproof—do you reckon words? And for wind—sayings of the desperate?
27 Truly ye spread a net for the fatherless; Ye dig a pit for your friend.
You cause anger to fall on the fatherless, And are strange to your friend.
28 Look now upon me, I pray you; For to your very face can I speak falsehood?
And now, please, look on me, Even to your face do I lie?
29 Return, I pray, and let there be no unfairness; Yea, return; —still is my cause righteous.
Please turn back, let it not be perverseness, Indeed, turn back again—my righteousness [is] in it.
30 Is there iniquity on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern what is sinful?
Is there perverseness in my tongue? Does my palate not discern calamity?”
