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Job’s Second Speech: A Response to Eliphaz

Then[a] Job answered and said,

“If only my vexation could be well weighed,
and my calamity could be lifted up together with it in the balances,
for then it would be heavier than the sand of the seas;
therefore my words have been rash,
for the arrows of Shaddai are in me;
my spirit drinks their poison;
the terrors of God are arrayed against me.
Does the wild ass bray over grass,
or the ox bellow over its fodder?
Can tasteless food be eaten without[b] salt,
or is there taste in the white of a marshmallow plant?
I refused[c] to touch them;
they are like food that will make me ill.[d]
O that[e] my request may come,
and that God may grant my hope,
that[f] God would decide that[g] he would crush me,
that he would let loose his hand and kill me.[h]
10 But[i] it will still be my consolation,
and I would recoil in unrelenting[j] pain,
for I have not denied the words of the Holy One.
11 What is my strength, that I should wait?
And what is my end, that I should hold out?[k]
12 Or is my strength like the strength of stones?
Or is my flesh bronze?
13 Indeed,[l] my help is not in me,
and any success is driven from me.
14 “Loyal love[m] should come for the afflicted from his friend,
even if[n] he forsakes the fear of Shaddai.
15 My companions are treacherous like a torrent-bed;
like a streambed of wadis[o] they flow away,
16 which are growing dark because of ice upon them,
it will pile up snow.
17 In time they dry up, they disappear;
when it is hot, they vanish from their place.
18 The paths of their way wind around;
they go up into the wasteland, and they perish.
19 The caravans of Tema looked;
the traveling merchants of Sheba hope for them.
20 They are disappointed, because they trusted;
they came here[p] and they are confounded.
21 “For now you[q] have become such;[r]
you see terrors, and you fear.
22 Is it because I have said, ‘Give to me,’
or,[s] ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’?
23 or,[t] ‘Save me from the foe’s hand,’
or,[u] ‘Ransom me from the tyrants’ hand’?
24 Teach me, and I myself[v] will be silent;
and make me understand how I have gone astray.
25 How painful are upright words![w]
But[x] what does your reproof[y] reprove?
26 Do you intend to reprove my words[z]
and consider the words of a desperate man as wind?
27 Even over the orphan you would cast the lot,
and you would bargain over your friend.
28 Therefore[aa] be prepared, turn to me,
and I surely will not lie to your face.[ab]
29 Please turn, let no injustice happen;
indeed,[ac] turn, my righteousness is still intact.[ad]
30 Is there injustice on my tongue?
Or can my palate not discern calamity?[ae]

Footnotes

  1. Job 6:1 Hebrew “And”
  2. Job 6:6 Hebrew “from without”
  3. Job 6:7 Literally “My soul/throat refuses”
  4. Job 6:7 Literally “the illness of my bread/food”
  5. Job 6:8 Literally “Who would give”
  6. Job 6:9 Hebrew “and”
  7. Job 6:9 Hebrew “and”
  8. Job 6:9 Literally “he would cut me off”
  9. Job 6:10 Hebrew “And”
  10. Job 6:10 Literally “he/it does not have compassion,” or “he/it does not have pity,” or “he/it does not spare”
  11. Job 6:11 Literally “I should make my self long,” or “I should lengthen my self”
  12. Job 6:13 An interrogative marker plus “if”
  13. Job 6:14 Or “Kindness”
  14. Job 6:14 Hebrew “and”
  15. Job 6:15 A seasonal stream that is often dry
  16. Job 6:20 Literally “up to it”
  17. Job 6:21 Plural throughout the rest of this chapter
  18. Job 6:21 Literally “to it,” or “for it”
  19. Job 6:22 Hebrew “and”
  20. Job 6:23 Hebrew “and”
  21. Job 6:23 Hebrew “And”
  22. Job 6:24 Emphatic personal pronoun
  23. Job 6:25 Literally “words of uprightness”
  24. Job 6:25 Hebrew “And”
  25. Job 6:25 Literally “reproving from you”
  26. Job 6:26 Or “Do you intend to reprove with words”
  27. Job 6:28 Literally “And now,” or “And so then”
  28. Job 6:28 Hebrew “faces”
  29. Job 6:29 Hebrew “and”
  30. Job 6:29 Literally “still my righteousness is in it”
  31. Job 6:30 Or “calamities”

But Iyov answered and said,

Oh that my ka’as (vexation) were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the scales together!

For now it would be heavier than the chol of the seas; therefore my words are impetuous.

For the khitzim (arrows) of Shaddai are in me, the poison whereof drinketh my ruach; the terrors of Eloah do set themselves in array against me.

Doth the pereh (wild donkey) bray when he hath desheh? Or loweth the ox over his fodder?

Can that which is tasteless be eaten without melach? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

The things that my nefesh refused to touch are like my loathsome lechem.

Who will grant that I might have my she’elah (request); oh that Eloah would grant me my tikveh!

Even that it would please Eloah to crush me; that He would let loose His yad, and cut me off!

10 Then should I yet have nechamah (consolation); yea, I would exult in chilah (pain); let him not spare; for I have not concealed the imrei Kadosh (words of the Holy One).

11 What is my koach, that I should wait? And what is mine end, that I should make patient my nefesh?

12 Is my koach the koach of avanim? Or is my basar bronze?

13 Is it that my help is not within me? And is tushiyyah (success) driven from me?

14 To him that is afflicted, chesed should be shown from his friend; otherwise, he forsaketh the fear of Shaddai.

15 Achai (my brethren) have dealt deceitfully as a wadi, and as the torrents of wadis they vanish away;

16 Which are blackish muddy by reason of the kerakh (ice), and wherein the sheleg (snow) is melted.

17 What season they become warm, they vanish; when it is hot, they disappear from their makom.

18 The paths of their derech wind about; they go up to tohu [Gn 1:2], and perish.

19 The caravans of Tema looked for them; the halichot (traveling companies) of Sheva hoped for them.

20 They were disappointed because of their bitachon; they come there and are confounded.

21 For now ye are become such; ye see my chatat (casting down), and are afraid.

22 Did I say, Bring unto me? Or, Give a present for me of your ko’ach (power, wealth)?

23 Or, Deliver me from the yad tzar (hand of the enemy, oppressor)? Or, Redeem me with a ransom from the yad of the tyrants?

24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue, and cause me to have binah wherein I have erred.

25 How forcible are the imrei yosher (words of rectitude)! But what doth your hokhiach (reproof) reprove?

26 Do ye think to reprove words? The words of one in despair, which are as ruach?

27 Yea, ye cast lots for the yatom, and over your friend ye barter.

28 Now therefore be pleased to look upon me; for it is evident unto you if in me there is kazav (falsity).

29 Turn, now, let there be no iniquity; yea, turn again; at issue is my tzedek (righteousness).

30 Is there iniquity on my leshon? Cannot my palate discern havvot (perverse things)?

Job

Then Job replied:

“If only my anguish could be weighed
    and all my misery be placed on the scales!(A)
It would surely outweigh the sand(B) of the seas—
    no wonder my words have been impetuous.(C)
The arrows(D) of the Almighty(E) are in me,(F)
    my spirit drinks(G) in their poison;(H)
    God’s terrors(I) are marshaled against me.(J)
Does a wild donkey(K) bray(L) when it has grass,
    or an ox bellow when it has fodder?(M)
Is tasteless food eaten without salt,
    or is there flavor in the sap of the mallow[a]?(N)
I refuse to touch it;
    such food makes me ill.(O)

“Oh, that I might have my request,
    that God would grant what I hope for,(P)
that God would be willing to crush(Q) me,
    to let loose his hand and cut off my life!(R)
10 Then I would still have this consolation(S)
    my joy in unrelenting pain(T)
    that I had not denied the words(U) of the Holy One.(V)

11 “What strength do I have, that I should still hope?
    What prospects, that I should be patient?(W)
12 Do I have the strength of stone?
    Is my flesh bronze?(X)
13 Do I have any power to help myself,(Y)
    now that success has been driven from me?

14 “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend(Z)
    forsakes the fear of the Almighty.(AA)
15 But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams,(AB)
    as the streams that overflow
16 when darkened by thawing ice
    and swollen with melting snow,(AC)
17 but that stop flowing in the dry season,
    and in the heat(AD) vanish from their channels.
18 Caravans turn aside from their routes;
    they go off into the wasteland and perish.
19 The caravans of Tema(AE) look for water,
    the traveling merchants of Sheba(AF) look in hope.
20 They are distressed, because they had been confident;
    they arrive there, only to be disappointed.(AG)
21 Now you too have proved to be of no help;
    you see something dreadful and are afraid.(AH)
22 Have I ever said, ‘Give something on my behalf,
    pay a ransom(AI) for me from your wealth,(AJ)
23 deliver me from the hand of the enemy,
    rescue me from the clutches of the ruthless’?(AK)

24 “Teach me, and I will be quiet;(AL)
    show me where I have been wrong.(AM)
25 How painful are honest words!(AN)
    But what do your arguments prove?
26 Do you mean to correct what I say,
    and treat my desperate words as wind?(AO)
27 You would even cast lots(AP) for the fatherless(AQ)
    and barter away your friend.

28 “But now be so kind as to look at me.
    Would I lie to your face?(AR)
29 Relent, do not be unjust;(AS)
    reconsider, for my integrity(AT) is at stake.[b](AU)
30 Is there any wickedness on my lips?(AV)
    Can my mouth not discern(AW) malice?

Footnotes

  1. Job 6:6 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  2. Job 6:29 Or my righteousness still stands

But Job answered and said,

Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.

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.

Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?

Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.

Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

10 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 strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?

12 Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?

13 Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?

14 To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;

16 Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:

17 What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

18 The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.

19 The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.

20 They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.

21 For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.

22 Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?

23 Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?

24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

25 How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?

26 Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?

27 Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.

28 Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie.

29 Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.

30 Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?