Job 6
1 And Job answereth and saith: —
Then Job responded:
2 O that my provocation were thoroughly weighed, And my calamity in balances They would lift up together!
“If my grief could be weighed and my troubles placed on the scales
3 For now, than the sands of the sea it is heavier, Therefore my words have been rash.
they would be heavier than the sand of the sea. That's why I spoke so rashly.
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 in me; their poison saps my spirit. God's terrors are lined up against me.
5 Brayeth a wild ass over tender grass? Loweth an ox over his provender?
Don't wild donkeys bray when their grass is gone? Don't cattle groan when they don't have food!
6 Eaten is an insipid thing without salt? Is there sense in the drivel of dreams?
Can something that's tasteless 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.
I just can't touch any food—even the thought makes me feel sick!
8 O that my request may come, That God may grant my hope!
Oh, if only I could have what I really want, that God would give me what I most desire—
9 That God would please — and bruise me, Loose His hand and cut me off!
that God would be willing to crush me to death, that he would just let me die!
10 And yet it is my comfort, (And I exult in pain — He doth not spare, ) That I have not hidden The sayings of the Holy One.
But it still comforts me to know, making me happy through the never-ending pain, that I have never rejected the words of God.
11 What [is] my power that I should hope? And what mine end That I should prolong my life?
Why should I go on waiting when I don't have the strength? Why should I keep going when I don't know what is going to happen to me?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones? Is my flesh brazen?
Am I as strong as rock? Am I made out of bronze?
13 Is not my help with me, And substance driven from me?
How can I help myself now that any chance of success is ripped away from me?
14 To a despiser of his friends [is] shame, And the fear of the Mighty he forsaketh.
Anyone who isn't kind to a friend has given up respecting the Almighty.
15 My brethren have deceived as a brook, As a stream of brooks they pass away.
My brothers have acted as deceptively as a desert stream, rushing waters in the desert that vanish.
16 That are black because of ice, By them doth snow hide itself.
The stream floods when it is full of dark ice and melting snow,
17 By the time they are warm they have been cut off, By its being hot they have been Extinguished from their place.
but in the heat it dries up and disappears, vanishing from where it once was.
18 Turn aside do the paths of their way, They ascend into emptiness, and are lost.
Camel caravans turn aside to look for water, but don't find any and they die.
19 Passengers of Tema looked expectingly, Travellers of Sheba hoped for them.
Caravans from Tema looked, travelers from Sheba were confident,
20 They were ashamed that one hath trusted, They have come unto it and are confounded.
but their hopes were dashed—they came and found nothing.
21 Surely now ye have become the same! Ye see a downfall, and are afraid.
Now you are no help, just like that—you see my trouble and you're afraid.
22 Is it because I said, Give to me? And, By your power bribe for me?
Have I asked you for anything? Have I told you to bribe anyone for me from your wealth?
23 And, Deliver me from the hand of an adversary? And, From the hand of terrible ones ransom me?
Have I asked you to rescue me from an enemy? Have I told you to save me from my oppressors?
24 Shew me, and I — I keep silent, And what I have erred, let me understand.
Explain this to me, and I'll be quiet. Show me where I'm wrong.
25 How powerful have been upright sayings, And what doth reproof from you reprove?
Honest words are painful, but what do your arguments prove?
26 For reproof — do you reckon words? And for wind — sayings of the desperate.
Are you going to argue over what I said, when the words of someone in despair should be left to blow away in the wind?
27 Anger on the fatherless ye cause to fall, And are strange to your friend.
You would play dice to win an orphan; you would bargain away your friend!
28 And, now, please, look upon me, Even to your face do I lie?
Look me in the eye and see if I'm lying to your face!
29 Turn back, I pray you, let it not be perverseness, Yea, turn back again — my righteousness [is] in it.
Don't talk like this! Don't be unjust! What I'm saying is right.
30 Is there in my tongue perverseness? Discerneth not my palate desirable things?
I'm not telling lies—don't you think I wouldn't know if I was wrong?”
