Job 6
1 Then Job spoke again, saying [to Eliphaz],
Then Job answered and said,
2 “If all my troubles and misery could be put on a scale and weighed,
“Oh, if only my anguish were weighed; if only all my calamity were laid in the balance!
3 they would be heavier than all the sands [on the shores] of the oceans. That is why I spoke (very rashly/without thinking clearly) [about the day that I was born].
For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas. That is why my words were reckless.
4 [It is as though] Almighty [God] has shot me with arrows. [It is as though] those arrows had poison on their tips, and that poison has gone into my spirit. The things that God has done to me have terrified me.
For the arrows of the Almighty are in me, my spirit drinks up the poison; the terrors of God have arranged themselves in array against me.
5 Just like a wild donkey does not [complain by] braying when it has plenty of grass to eat, and an ox does not [complain by] bellowing when it has food to eat [MET], [I would not complain if you were really helping/comforting me].
Does the wild donkey bray in despair when he has grass? Or does the ox low in hunger when it has fodder?
6 People complain [RHQ] when they must eat food which has no salt or other tasteless food [MET], [and that is what your words are like, Eliphaz].
Can that which has no taste be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
7 Just like I do not want to eat food [like that], and I loathe/detests that kind of food [MET], [I do not appreciate what you have said to me].
I refuse to touch them; they are like disgusting food to me.
8 “I wish that God would do for me what I have requested from him [DOU].
Oh, that I might have my request; oh, that God would grant me the thing I long for:
9 I wish that he would crush me [and let me die]. I wish that he would reach out his hand and take away my life.
that it would please God to crush me once, that he would let loose his hand and cut me off from this life!
10 If he would do that, I would be comforted by knowing that in spite of the great pain that I have suffered, I have always obeyed what [God, ] the Holy One, has commanded.
May this still be my consolation— even if I exult in pain that does not lessen: that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.
11 But now I do not have [RHQ] enough strength to endure all these things. And since I have nothing [to hope for] in (the future/this life), it is difficult for me to be patient now [RHQ].
What is my strength, that I should try to wait? What is my end, that I should prolong my life?
12 I am not [RHQ] strong like rocks are, and my body is not made of bronze.
Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh made of bronze?
13 So I am not able to help myself, and [it seems that] there is no one to rescue me.”
Is it not true that I have no help in myself, and that wisdom has been driven out of me?
14 “When a man has many troubles, his friends should be kind to him, even if he stops revering Almighty [God].
To the person who is about to faint, faithfulness should be shown by his friend; even to him who forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15 But [you, ] my friends, are not dependable. You are like streams: They spill over their banks [in the spring]
But my brothers have been as faithful to me as a desert streambed, as channels of water that pass away to nothing,
16 when [the melting] ice and snow make those streams overflow,
which are darkened because of ice over them, and because of the snow that hides itself in them.
17 but when the dry season comes, there is no water flowing [in those streams], and the channels dry up.
When they thaw out, they vanish; when it is hot, they melt out of their place.
18 [The caravans of merchants] turn off the path [to search for some water], but there is no water, so they die [in the desert].
The caravans that travel by their way turn aside for water; they wander into barren land and then perish.
19 The men in those caravans search [for some water] because they are sure that they will find some.
Caravans from Tema looked there, while companies of Sheba hoped in them.
20 But they do not find any, so they are very disappointed.
They were disappointed because they had been confident of finding water. They went there, but they were deceived.
21 Similarly, you friends have not helped me at all! You have seen that terrible things have happened to me, and you are afraid [that God might do similar things to you].
For now you friends are nothing to me; you see my dreadful situation and are afraid.
22 [After I lost all my wealth, ] did I ask any of you for money? [RHQ] Did I plead with any of you to spend some of your money to help me [RHQ]?
Did I say to you, 'Give something to me?' Or, 'Offer me a gift from your wealth?'
23 Have I asked any of you to rescue me from my enemies [RHQ]? Have I asked you to save me from those who (oppressed me/treated me badly) [RHQ]? [No!]”
Or, 'Save me from my adversary's hand?' Or, 'Ransom me from the hand of my oppressors?'
24 “Answer me [now, and then] I will be quiet; tell me what wrong things I have done!
Teach me, and I will hold my peace; make me understand where I have been wrong.
25 When people speak what is true, that will not hurt the person who hears it, but what you say, criticizing me, [is not true, so your saying it] proves nothing [RHQ]!
How painful are truthful words! But your arguments, how do they actually rebuke me?
26 I am a man who has nothing to hope for, but you try to correct me, and you think what I say is nothing but wind [RHQ]!
Do you plan to ignore my words, treating the words of a desperate man like the wind?
27 You do not sympathize with me at all [for all that I am suffering]. [You are heartless!] You would even gamble to see who gets an orphan [as a prize]!
Indeed, you cast lots for a fatherless child, and haggle over your friend like merchandise.
28 Please look at me! I will not [RHQ] lie to you.
Now, therefore, please look at me, for surely I would not lie to your face.
29 Stop [saying that I have sinned, and] stop criticizing me unjustly! You should realize that I have not done things that are wrong.
Relent, I beg you; let there be no injustice with you; Indeed, relent, for my cause is just.
30 Do you think that I am lying? No, I am not lying, because I know what is right and what is wrong [RHQ].”
Is there evil on my tongue? Cannot my mouth detect malicious things?
