Job 6-7
Modern English Version
Job Replies: My Complaint Is Just
6 But Job answered:
2 “Oh, that my grief were fully weighed,
and my calamity laid with it on the scales!
3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea;
therefore my words are stuck in my throat.
4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me;
my spirit drinks in their poison;
the terrors of God are arrayed against me.
5 Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass?
Or the ox bellow over his fodder?
6 Is tasteless food eaten without salt?
Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
7 My soul refuses to touch them;
they are like loathsome food to me.
8 “Oh, that I might have my request,
and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
9 That it would please God to crush me,
that He would let loose His hand and cut me off!
10 Then I would still have comfort;
I would revel in pain; it will not subside,
for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.
11 “What strength do I have, that I should hope?
And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones?
Or is my flesh made of brass?
13 Is there no help within me?
And is success banished from me?
14 “A despairing man should be shown kindness from his friend,
or he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15 My brothers have acted deceitfully like a riverbed,
like the streams of the riverbeds that run dry;
16 which are dark because of the ice,
and into which the snow disappears.
17 In time they are scorched; they vanish!
When it is hot, they disappear from their place.
18 The caravans of their way turn aside;
they go nowhere, and they perish.
19 The caravans of Tema looked,
the travelers of Sheba hoped for them.
20 They were disappointed because they were confident;
they arrived there and were dismayed.
21 For now you are nothing;
you see terror and are afraid.
22 Did I say, ‘Give to me’?
Or, ‘Out of your wealth, bribe me’?
23 Or, ‘Deliver me from the power of the enemy’?
Or, ‘From the power of the oppressors, liberate me’?
24 “Teach me, and I will hold my tongue,
and make me understand how I have erred.
25 How forceful are right words!
But what does your arguing prove?
26 Do you mean to correct my words,
and treat my desperate words as wind?
27 Yes, you cast lots for the fatherless,
and you bargain over your friend.
28 “And now, please give me your attention,
for surely I will not lie to you.
29 Turn, I pray, let there be no injustice!
Yes, turn again, my righteousness still stands!
30 Is there injustice on my tongue?
Cannot my taste discern pernicious things?
Job: My Suffering Is Endless
7 “Is there not a time of hard service for a man upon earth?
Are not his days also like the days of a hired worker?
2 Like a servant, he longs for the shade,
and like a hired worker, he looks for his wages,
3 so I have been assigned months of futility,
and nights of trouble have been appointed to me.
4 When I lie down, I say,
‘When will I arise and the night be ended?’
And I am full of restlessness until the dawn.
5 My flesh is covered with worms and caked with dirt;
my skin is broken, and has become loathsome.
6 “My days fly more swiftly than a weaver’s shuttle,
and are spent without hope.
7 Oh, remember that my life is a breath!
My eye will never again see good.
8 The eye of him who sees me will behold me no more;
your eyes will be on me, but I will be no more.
9 As the cloud disappears and vanishes away,
so he who goes down to Sheol will come up no more.
10 He will never return to his house,
and his place will not recognize him anymore.
11 “Therefore, I will not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I the sea, or a sea monster,
that You set a guard over me?
13 When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,
my couch will ease my complaint,’
14 then You scare me with dreams
and terrify me with visions,
15 so that my soul chooses strangling,
even death rather than my life.
16 I loathe my life; I would not live forever;
let me alone, for my days are emptiness.
17 “What is man, that You should exalt him,
and that You should set Your heart on him,
18 and that You should visit him every morning,
and test him every moment?
19 How long until You look away from me?
Will You not let me alone until I swallow my saliva?
20 Have I sinned? What am I doing to You,
O You watcher of men?
Why have You set me as Your target,
so that I am a burden to myself?
21 And why do You not pardon my transgression
and take away my iniquity?
For now I will lie down in the dust;
and You will seek me diligently, but I will not be.”
Job 6-7
New King James Version
Job: My Complaint Is Just
6 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Oh, that my grief were fully weighed,
And my calamity laid with it on the scales!
3 For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea—
Therefore my words have been rash.
4 (A)For the arrows of the Almighty are within me;
My spirit drinks in their poison;
(B)The terrors of God are arrayed (C)against me.
5 Does the (D)wild donkey bray when it has grass,
Or does the ox low over its fodder?
6 Can flavorless food be eaten without salt?
Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
7 My soul refuses to touch them;
They are as loathsome food to me.
8 “Oh, that I might have my request,
That God would grant me the thing that I long for!
9 That it would please God to crush me,
That He would loose His hand and (E)cut me off!
10 Then I would still have comfort;
Though in anguish I would exult,
He will not spare;
For (F)I have not concealed the words of (G)the Holy One.
11 “What strength do I have, that I should hope?
And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones?
Or is my flesh bronze?
13 Is my help not within me?
And is success driven from me?
14 “To(H) him who is [a]afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend,
Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15 (I)My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook,
(J)Like the streams of the brooks that pass away,
16 Which are dark because of the ice,
And into which the snow vanishes.
17 When it is warm, they cease to flow;
When it is hot, they vanish from their place.
18 The paths of their way turn aside,
They go nowhere and perish.
19 The caravans of (K)Tema look,
The travelers of (L)Sheba hope for them.
20 They are (M)disappointed[b] because they were confident;
They come there and are confused.
21 For now (N)you are nothing,
You see terror and (O)are afraid.
22 Did I ever say, ‘Bring something to me’?
Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’?
23 Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand’?
Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of oppressors’?
24 “Teach me, and I will hold my tongue;
Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
25 How forceful are right words!
But what does your arguing prove?
26 Do you intend to rebuke my words,
And the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind?
27 Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless,
And you (P)undermine your friend.
28 Now therefore, be pleased to look at me;
For I would never lie to your face.
29 (Q)Yield now, let there be no injustice!
Yes, concede, my (R)righteousness [c]still stands!
30 Is there injustice on my tongue?
Cannot my [d]taste discern the unsavory?
Job: My Suffering Is Comfortless
7 “Is there not (S)a time of hard service for man on earth?
Are not his days also like the days of a hired man?
2 Like a servant who [e]earnestly desires the shade,
And like a hired man who eagerly looks for his wages,
3 So I have been allotted (T)months of futility,
And wearisome nights have been appointed to me.
4 (U)When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise,
And the night be ended?’
For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn.
5 My flesh is (V)caked with worms and dust,
My skin is cracked and breaks out afresh.
6 “My(W) days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And are spent without hope.
7 Oh, remember that (X)my life is a breath!
My eye will never again see good.
8 (Y)The eye of him who sees me will see me no more;
While your eyes are upon me, I shall no longer be.
9 As the cloud disappears and vanishes away,
So (Z)he who goes down to the grave does not come up.
10 He shall never return to his house,
(AA)Nor shall his place know him anymore.
11 “Therefore I will (AB)not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will (AC)complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I a sea, or a sea serpent,
That You set a guard over me?
13 (AD)When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,
My couch will ease my complaint,’
14 Then You scare me with dreams
And terrify me with visions,
15 So that my soul chooses strangling
And death rather than [f]my body.
16 (AE)I loathe my life;
I would not live forever.
(AF)Let me alone,
For (AG)my days are but [g]a breath.
17 “What(AH) is man, that You should exalt him,
That You should set Your heart on him,
18 That You should [h]visit him every morning,
And test him every moment?
19 How long?
Will You not look away from me,
And let me alone till I swallow my saliva?
20 Have I sinned?
What have I done to You, (AI)O watcher of men?
Why (AJ)have You set me as Your target,
So that I am a burden [i]to myself?
21 Why then do You not pardon my transgression,
And take away my iniquity?
For now I will lie down in the dust,
And You will seek me diligently,
But I will no longer be.”
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
