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?

“Do not mortals have hard service(AX) on earth?(AY)
    Are not their days like those of hired laborers?(AZ)
Like a slave longing for the evening shadows,(BA)
    or a hired laborer waiting to be paid,(BB)
so I have been allotted months of futility,
    and nights of misery have been assigned to me.(BC)
When I lie down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’(BD)
    The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.(BE)
My body is clothed with worms(BF) and scabs,
    my skin is broken and festering.(BG)

“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,(BH)
    and they come to an end without hope.(BI)
Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath;(BJ)
    my eyes will never see happiness again.(BK)
The eye that now sees me will see me no longer;
    you will look for me, but I will be no more.(BL)
As a cloud vanishes(BM) and is gone,
    so one who goes down to the grave(BN) does not return.(BO)
10 He will never come to his house again;
    his place(BP) will know him no more.(BQ)

11 “Therefore I will not keep silent;(BR)
    I will speak out in the anguish(BS) of my spirit,
    I will complain(BT) in the bitterness of my soul.(BU)
12 Am I the sea,(BV) or the monster of the deep,(BW)
    that you put me under guard?(BX)
13 When I think my bed will comfort me
    and my couch will ease my complaint,(BY)
14 even then you frighten me with dreams
    and terrify(BZ) me with visions,(CA)
15 so that I prefer strangling and death,(CB)
    rather than this body of mine.(CC)
16 I despise my life;(CD) I would not live forever.(CE)
    Let me alone;(CF) my days have no meaning.(CG)

17 “What is mankind that you make so much of them,
    that you give them so much attention,(CH)
18 that you examine them every morning(CI)
    and test them(CJ) every moment?(CK)
19 Will you never look away from me,(CL)
    or let me alone even for an instant?(CM)
20 If I have sinned, what have I done to you,(CN)
    you who see everything we do?
Why have you made me your target?(CO)
    Have I become a burden to you?[c](CP)
21 Why do you not pardon my offenses
    and forgive my sins?(CQ)
For I will soon lie down in the dust;(CR)
    you will search for me, but I will be no more.”(CS)

Footnotes

  1. Job 6:6 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  2. Job 6:29 Or my righteousness still stands
  3. Job 7:20 A few manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition and Septuagint; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text I have become a burden to myself.

Then Job answered,

“Oh that my anguish were weighed,
    and all my calamity laid in the balances!
For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas,
    therefore my words have been rash.
For the arrows of the Almighty are within me.
    My spirit drinks up their poison.
The terrors of God set themselves in array against me.
    Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass?
Or does the ox low over his fodder?
    Can that which has no flavor be eaten without salt?
Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
    My soul refuses to touch them.
They are as loathsome food to me.

“Oh that I might have my request,
    that God would grant the thing that I long for,
even that it would please God to crush me;
    that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!
10 Let it still be my consolation,
    yes, let me exult in pain that doesn’t spare,
    that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.
11 What is my strength, that I should wait?
    What is my end, that I should be patient?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones?
    Or is my flesh of bronze?
13 Isn’t it that I have no help in me,
    that wisdom is driven away from me?

14 “To him who is ready to faint, kindness should be shown from his friend;
    even to him who forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15 My brothers have dealt deceitfully as a brook,
    as the channel of brooks that pass away;
16 Which are black by reason of the ice,
    in which the snow hides itself.
17 In the dry season, they vanish.
    When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.
18 The caravans that travel beside them turn away.
    They go up into the waste, and perish.
19 The caravans of Tema looked.
    The companies of Sheba waited for them.
20 They were distressed because they were confident.
    They came there, and were confounded.
21 For now you are nothing.
    You see a terror, and are afraid.
22 Did I say, ‘Give to me?’
    or, ‘Offer a present for me from your substance?’
23 or, ‘Deliver me from the adversary’s hand?’
    or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the oppressors?’

24 “Teach me, and I will hold my peace.
    Cause me to understand my error.
25 How forcible are words of uprightness!
    But your reproof, what does it reprove?
26 Do you intend to reprove words,
    since the speeches of one who is desperate are as wind?
27 Yes, you would even cast lots for the fatherless,
    and make merchandise of your friend.
28 Now therefore be pleased to look at me,
    for surely I will not lie to your face.
29 Please return.
    Let there be no injustice.
    Yes, return again.
    My cause is righteous.
30 Is there injustice on my tongue?
    Can’t my taste discern mischievous things?

“Isn’t a man forced to labor on earth?
    Aren’t his days like the days of a hired hand?
As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow,
    as a hireling who looks for his wages,
so I am made to possess months of misery,
    wearisome nights are appointed to me.
When I lie down, I say,
    ‘When will I arise, and the night be gone?’
    I toss and turn until the dawning of the day.
My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust.
    My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh.
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
    and are spent without hope.
Oh remember that my life is a breath.
    My eye will no more see good.
The eye of him who sees me will see me no more.
    Your eyes will be on me, but I will not be.
As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away,
    so he who goes down to Sheol[a] will come up no more.
10 He will return no more to his house,
    neither will his place know him any more.

11 “Therefore I will not keep silent.
    I will speak in the anguish of my spirit.
    I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I a sea, or a sea monster,
    that you put 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 through visions:
15 so that my soul chooses strangling,
    death rather than my bones.
16 I loathe my life.
    I don’t want to live forever.
    Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
17 What is man, that you should magnify him,
    that you should set your mind on him,
18 that you should visit him every morning,
    and test him every moment?
19 How long will you not look away from me,
    nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?
20 If I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men?
    Why have you set me as a mark for you,
    so that I am a burden to myself?
21 Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity?
    For now will I lie down in the dust.
    You will seek me diligently, but I will not be.”

Footnotes

  1. 7:9 Sheol is the place of the dead.