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Job Answers Eliphaz

Then Job answered and said,

(A)Oh that my vexation were actually weighed
And laid in the balances together with my destruction!
For then it would be (B)heavier than the sand of the seas;
Therefore my words have been rash.
For the (C)arrows of the Almighty are within me,
[a]Their (D)poison my spirit drinks;
The (E)horrors of God are arranged against me.
Does the (F)wild donkey bray over his grass,
Or does the ox low over his fodder?
Can something tasteless be eaten without salt,
Or is there any taste in the slime of a [b]yolk?
My soul (G)refuses to touch them;
They are like loathsome food to me.

“Oh that my request might come to pass,
And that God would grant my hope!
Would that God were (H)willing to crush me,
That He would release His hand and cut me off!
10 But it is still my comfort,
And I rejoice in unsparing pain,
That I (I)have not at all hidden away the words of the Holy One.
11 What is my strength, that I should wait?
And what is my end, that I should [c](J)endure?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones,
Or is my flesh bronze?
13 Is it that there is no (K)help within me,
And that the [d](L)success of sound wisdom is driven from me?

14 “For the (M)despairing man lovingkindness should be from his friend;
But he (N)forsakes the [e]fear of the Almighty.
15 My brothers have (O)betrayed me like a [f]wadi,
Like the torrents of [g]wadis which pass away,
16 Which grow dark because of ice
And upon which the snow hides itself.
17 When (P)they become waterless, they [h]are silent;
When it is hot, they vanish from their place.
18 The [i]paths of their course wind along;
They go up into a formless place and perish.
19 The caravans of (Q)Tema looked;
The travelers of (R)Sheba hoped for them.
20 They (S)were ashamed for they had trusted;
They came there and were humiliated.
21 Indeed, you have now become such;
(T)You see a terror and are afraid.
22 Have I said, ‘Give me something,’
Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth,’
23 Or, ‘Give me escape from the hand of the adversary,’
Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the ruthless men’?

24 “Instruct me, and (U)I will be silent;
And cause me to understand how I have erred.
25 How painful are upright words!
But what does your reproof prove?
26 Do you think to reprove my words,
Or think of the (V)words of one in despair as wind?
27 You would even (W)cast lots for (X)the orphans
And (Y)bargain over your friend.
28 So now be willing to face me,
And see if I (Z)lie to your face.
29 Now turn from this, let there be no unrighteousness;
Even turn from this, (AA)my righteousness is yet in it.
30 Is there unrighteousness on my tongue?
Cannot (AB)my palate discern [j]destruction?

Footnotes

  1. Job 6:4 Lit Whose
  2. Job 6:6 Heb hallamuth, meaning uncertain; possibly the juice of a plant
  3. Job 6:11 Lit prolong my soul
  4. Job 6:13 Ancient versions deliverance
  5. Job 6:14 Or reverence
  6. Job 6:15 Or brook
  7. Job 6:15 Or brooks
  8. Job 6:17 Or cease
  9. Job 6:18 Or caravans turn from their course
  10. Job 6:30 Or words

Round One: Job’s Second Speech

Then Job responded:

If only my grief could be weighed,
and my devastation placed on the scales with it!
They would certainly weigh more than the sand of the sea!
No wonder my words have been rash.[a]
The arrows of the Almighty stick in me.
My spirit drinks in their poison.
The terrors of God are lined up against me.

Does the wild donkey bray when it has green grass?
Does the ox bellow when it is near its fodder?
Is tasteless food eaten without salt?
Is there flavor in the white of an egg?[b]
I absolutely refuse to touch it.
It is no better than sickening food.

If only my request would be granted.
If only God would grant me what I hope for:
    that God would decide to crush me,
    that he would unleash his hand and cut me off.
10 For then I would still have this comfort:
    Even as I writhe in relentless pain,[c]
    I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

11 What strength do I have to wait hopefully?
What end awaits me that would make me want to prolong my life?
12 Is my strength like stone,
or is my flesh bronze?
13 Certainly I have no power to help myself,
    since the hope that I can recover has been driven far away from me.

14 A despairing person should receive loyalty[d] from his friends,
    even if he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15 But my brothers are as undependable as gullies that dry up,
undependable as seasonal streams which overflow
16     when they are darkened by ice and swollen with melting snow,
17     but as quickly as they flood, they dry up in the scorching winds.[e]
When it gets hot, they vanish from their channels.
18 Caravans turn aside from their routes.
They go off into the empty wasteland and perish.
19 The caravans of Tema search for these streams.
The travelers of Sheba hope to find them,
20 but despite being confident, they are disappointed.
They arrive there only to be frustrated.

21 Now that is what you are like!
You have seen something dreadful and you panic.
22 Have I said, “Give me something,
or offer a payment on my behalf from your wealth”?
23 Have I said, “Save me from the hand of my enemy,
or redeem me from the hand of the ruthless”?
24 Teach me and I will be silent.
Help me understand what I have done wrong.
25 How painful honest words are!
But what does your rebuke prove?
26 Do you intend to attack me for mere words
    by treating things said by a despairing man like wind?[f]
27 No doubt you would even cast lots for a fatherless child
and barter away your friend!

28 But now, please look at me.
I would not lie to your face!
29 Turn to me,[g] and get rid of injustice.
Turn to me. My righteousness is still intact.[h]
30 Is there any injustice on my tongue?
Wouldn’t my mouth detect it if I were speaking destructive words?[i]

Footnotes

  1. Job 6:3 Or reckless
  2. Job 6:6 Another suggestion is that this term refers to the sap of some plant. In either case, the meaning remains the same: a tasteless, unappetizing substance.
  3. Job 6:10 An alternative translation is I would be joyful even in relentless pain.
  4. Job 6:14 Or mercy
  5. Job 6:17 6-17 These lines are difficult.
  6. Job 6:26 This verse is difficult.
  7. Job 6:29 Or try again
  8. Job 6:29 Or my righteousness is at stake
  9. Job 6:30 This line is difficult.

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?

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