Job 6
1 And Job answereth and saith: —
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 throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!
3 For now, than the sands of the sea it is heavier, 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 drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.
5 Brayeth a wild ass over tender grass? Loweth an ox over his provender?
Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?
6 Eaten is an insipid thing without salt? Is there sense in the drivel of dreams?
Can that which is unsavoury 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 doth not spare, ) That I have not hidden The sayings of the Holy One.
Then should I yet have comfort; yea, 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 mine end That I should prolong my life?
What [is] my strength, that I should hope? and what [is] mine end, that I should prolong my life?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones? Is my flesh brazen?
[Is] my strength the strength of stones? or [is] my flesh of brass?
13 Is not my help 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 forsaketh.
To him that is afflicted pity [should be shewed] from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.
15 My brethren have deceived as a brook, As a stream of brooks they pass away.
My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, [and] as the stream of brooks they pass away;
16 That are black because of ice, By them doth snow hide 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 Turn aside do the paths 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, Travellers of Sheba hoped for them.
The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.
20 They were ashamed that one hath trusted, They have come unto it and are confounded.
They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.
21 Surely now ye have become the same! Ye see a downfall, and are afraid.
For now ye are nothing; ye 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 unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?
23 And, Deliver me from the hand of an adversary? And, From the hand of terrible ones ransom me?
Or, Deliver me from the enemy’s hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?
24 Shew me, and I — 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 doth reproof from you reprove?
How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?
26 For reproof — do you reckon words? And for wind — sayings of the desperate.
Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, [which are] as wind?
27 Anger on the fatherless ye cause to fall, And are strange to your friend.
Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig [a pit] for your friend.
28 And, now, please, look upon me, Even to your face do I lie?
Now therefore be content, look upon me; for [it is] evident unto you if I lie.
29 Turn back, I pray you, let it not be perverseness, Yea, turn back again — my righteousness [is] in it.
Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness [is] in it.
30 Is there in my tongue perverseness? Discerneth not my palate desirable things?
Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?
