Job 6-7
New American Standard Bible
Job’s Friends Are No Help
6 Then Job responded,
2 “(A)Oh if only my grief were actually weighed
And laid in the balances together with my disaster!
3 For then it would be (B)heavier than the sand of the seas;
For that reason my words have been rash.
4 For the (C)arrows of the Almighty are within me,
[a]My spirit drinks their (D)poison;
The (E)terrors of God line up against me.
5 Does the (F)wild donkey bray over his grass,
Or does the ox low over his feed?
6 Can something tasteless be eaten without salt,
Or is there any taste in the [b]juice of an alkanet plant?
7 My soul (G)refuses to touch them;
They are like loathsome food to me.
8 “Oh, that my request might come to pass,
And that God would grant my hope!
9 Oh, that God would (H)decide to crush me,
That He would let loose His hand and cut me off!
10 But it is still my comfort,
And I rejoice in unsparing pain,
That I (I)have not [c]denied the words of the Holy One.
11 What is my strength, that I should wait?
And what is my end, that I should [d](J)endure?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones,
Or is my flesh bronze?
13 Is it that my (K)help is not within me,
And that a (L)good outcome is driven away from me?
14 “For the (M)despairing man there should be kindness from his friend;
So that he does not (N)abandon the [e]fear of the Almighty.
15 My brothers have acted (O)deceitfully like a [f]wadi,
Like the torrents of [g]wadis which drain away,
16 Which are darkened because of ice,
And into which the snow [h]melts.
17 When (P)they dry up, they vanish;
When it is hot, they disappear from their place.
18 The [i]paths of their course wind along,
They go up into wasteland and perish.
19 The caravans of (Q)Tema looked,
The travelers of (R)Sheba hoped for them.
20 They (S)were put to shame, for they had trusted,
They came there and were humiliated.
21 Indeed, you have now become such,
(T)You see terrors and are afraid.
22 Have I said, ‘Give me something,’
Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth,’
23 Or, ‘Save me from the hand of the enemy,’
Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants’?
24 “Teach me, and (U)I will be silent;
And show me how I have done wrong.
25 How painful are honest words!
But what does your argument prove?
26 Do you intend to rebuke my words,
When the (V)words of one in despair belong to the wind?
27 You would even (W)cast lots for (X)the orphans,
And (Y)barter over your friend.
28 Now please look at me,
And see if I am (Z)lying to your face.
29 Please turn away, let there be no injustice;
Turn away, (AA)my righteousness is still in it.
30 Is there injustice on my tongue?
Does (AB)my palate not discern disasters?
Job’s Life Seems Futile
7 “[j]Is a person not (AC)forced to labor on earth,
And are his days not like the days of (AD)a hired worker?
2 As a slave pants for the shade,
And as a hired worker who eagerly waits for his wages,
3 So I am allotted worthless months,
And (AE)nights of trouble are apportioned to me.
4 When I (AF)lie down, I say,
‘When shall I arise?’
But the night continues,
And I am continually tossing until dawn.
5 My (AG)flesh is clothed with maggots and a crust of dirt,
My skin hardens and [k]oozes.
6 My days are (AH)swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And they come to an end (AI)without hope.
7 “Remember that my life (AJ)is a mere breath;
My eye will (AK)not see goodness again.
8 The (AL)eye of him who sees me will no longer look at me;
Your eyes will be on me, but (AM)I will not exist.
9 When a (AN)cloud vanishes, it is gone;
In the same way (AO)one who goes down to [l](AP)Sheol does not come up.
10 He will not return to his house again,
Nor will (AQ)his place know about him anymore.
11 “Therefore (AR)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 (AS)the sea monster,
That You set a guard over me?
13 If I say, ‘(AT)My couch will comfort me,
My bed will [m]ease my complaint,’
14 Then You frighten me with dreams,
And terrify me by visions,
15 So that my soul would choose suffocation,
Death rather than my [n]pains.
16 I [o](AU)waste away; I will not live forever.
Leave me alone, (AV)for my days are only a breath.
17 (AW)What is man that You exalt him,
And that You [p]are concerned about him,
18 That (AX)You examine him every morning
And put him to the test every moment?
19 [q](AY)Will You never turn Your gaze away from me,
Nor leave me alone until I swallow my spittle?
20 (AZ)Have I sinned? What have I done to You,
(BA)Watcher of mankind?
Why have You made me Your target,
So that I am a burden to myself?
21 Why then (BB)do You not forgive my wrongdoing
And take away my [r]guilt?
For now I will (BC)lie down in the dust;
And You will search for me, (BD)but I will no longer exist.”
Footnotes
- Job 6:4 Lit Whose poison my spirit drinks
- Job 6:6 Heb hallamuth, meaning uncertain
- Job 6:10 Lit hidden
- Job 6:11 Lit prolong my soul
- Job 6:14 Or reverence for
- Job 6:15 I.e., dry stream bed(s), except in the rainy season
- Job 6:15 I.e., dry stream bed(s), except in the rainy season
- Job 6:16 Lit hides itself
- Job 6:18 Or caravans turn from their course, they go up into the waste and perish
- Job 7:1 Lit Has not man compulsory labor
- Job 7:5 Lit melts
- Job 7:9 I.e., the netherworld
- Job 7:13 Lit bear
- Job 7:15 Lit bones
- Job 7:16 Or loathe
- Job 7:17 Lit set Your heart on
- Job 7:19 Lit How long will You not
- Job 7:21 Or unjust deed
Job 6-7
New American Standard Bible 1995
Job’s Friends Are No Help
6 Then Job [a]answered,
2 “(A)Oh that my grief were actually weighed
And laid in the balances together with my calamity!
3 “For then it would be (B)heavier than the sand of the seas;
Therefore my words have been rash.
4 “For the (C)arrows of the Almighty are within me,
[b]Their (D)poison my spirit drinks;
The (E)terrors of God are arrayed against me.
5 “Does the (F)wild donkey bray over his grass,
Or does the ox low over his fodder?
6 “Can something tasteless be eaten without salt,
Or is there any taste in the [c]white of an egg?
7 “My soul (G)refuses to touch them;
They are like loathsome food to me.
8 “Oh that my request might come to pass,
And that God would grant my longing!
9 “Would that God were (H)willing to crush me,
That He would loose His hand and cut me off!
10 “But it is still my consolation,
And I rejoice in unsparing pain,
That I (I)have not [d]denied the words of the Holy One.
11 “What is my strength, that I should wait?
And what is my end, that I should [e](J)endure?
12 “Is my strength the strength of stones,
Or is my flesh bronze?
13 “Is it that my (K)help is not within me,
And that [f](L)deliverance is driven from me?
14 “For the (M)despairing man there should be kindness from his friend;
So that he does not (N)forsake the [g]fear of the Almighty.
15 “My brothers have acted (O)deceitfully like a [h]wadi,
Like the torrents of [i]wadis which vanish,
16 Which are turbid because of ice
And into which the snow [j]melts.
17 “When (P)they become waterless, they [k]are silent,
When it is hot, they vanish from their place.
18 “The [l]paths of their course wind along,
They go up into nothing and perish.
19 “The caravans of (Q)Tema looked,
The travelers of (R)Sheba hoped for them.
20 “They (S)were [m]disappointed for they had trusted,
They came there and were confounded.
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, ‘Deliver me from the hand of the adversary,’
Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants’?
24 “Teach me, and (U)I will be silent;
And show me how I have erred.
25 “How painful are honest words!
But what does your argument prove?
26 “Do you intend to reprove my words,
When the (V)words of one in despair belong to the wind?
27 “You would even (W)cast lots for (X)the orphans
And (Y)barter over your friend.
28 “Now please look at me,
And see if I (Z)lie to your face.
29 “Desist now, let there be no injustice;
Even desist, (AA)my righteousness is yet in it.
30 “Is there injustice on my tongue?
Cannot (AB)my palate discern [n]calamities?
Job’s Life Seems Futile
7 “[o]Is not man (AC)forced to labor on earth,
And are not his days like the days of (AD)a hired man?
2 “As a slave who pants for the shade,
And as a hired man who eagerly waits for his wages,
3 So am I allotted months of vanity,
And (AE)nights of trouble are appointed me.
4 “When I (AF)lie down I say,
‘When shall I arise?’
But the night continues,
And I am [p]continually tossing until dawn.
5 “My (AG)flesh is clothed with worms and a crust of dirt,
My skin hardens and runs.
6 “My days are (AH)swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And come to an end (AI)without hope.
7 “Remember that my life (AJ)is but breath;
My eye will (AK)not again see good.
8 “The (AL)eye of him who sees me will behold me no longer;
Your eyes will be on me, but (AM)I will not be.
9 “When a (AN)cloud vanishes, it is gone,
So (AO)he who goes down to (AP)Sheol does not come up.
10 “He will not return again to his house,
Nor will (AQ)his place know him anymore.
11 “Therefore (AR)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 (AS)the sea monster,
That You set a guard over me?
13 “If I say, ‘(AT)My bed will comfort me,
My couch will [q]ease my complaint,’
14 Then You frighten me with dreams
And terrify me by visions;
15 So that my soul would choose suffocation,
Death rather than my [r]pains.
16 “I [s](AU)waste away; I will not live forever.
Leave me alone, (AV)for my days are but a breath.
17 “(AW)What is man that You magnify him,
And that You [t]are concerned about him,
18 That (AX)You examine him every morning
And try him every moment?
19 “[u](AY)Will You never turn Your gaze away from me,
Nor let me alone until I swallow my spittle?
20 “(AZ)Have I sinned? What have I done to You,
O (BA)watcher of men?
Why have You set me as Your target,
So that I am a burden to myself?
21 “Why then (BB)do You not pardon my transgression
And take away my iniquity?
For now I will (BC)lie down in the dust;
And You will seek me, (BD)but I will not be.”
Footnotes
- Job 6:1 Lit answered and said
- Job 6:4 Lit Whose
- Job 6:6 Heb hallamuth, meaning uncertain. Perhaps the juice of a plant
- Job 6:10 Lit hidden
- Job 6:11 Lit prolong my soul
- Job 6:13 So ancient versions
- Job 6:14 Or reverence
- Job 6:15 Or brooks
- Job 6:15 Or brooks
- Job 6:16 Lit hides itself
- Job 6:17 Or cease
- Job 6:18 Or caravans turn from their course, they go up into the waste and perish
- Job 6:20 Lit ashamed
- Job 6:30 Or words
- Job 7:1 Lit Has not man compulsory labor
- Job 7:4 Lit sated with
- Job 7:13 Lit bear
- Job 7:15 Lit bones
- Job 7:16 Or loathe
- Job 7:17 Lit set Your heart on
- Job 7:19 Lit How long will You not
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.