Job 6

¹ And Job answereth and saith: —

² O that my provocation were thoroughly weighed, And my calamity in balances They would lift up together!

³ For now, than the sands of the sea it is heavier, Therefore my words have been rash.

⁴ For arrows of the Mighty [are] with me, Whose poison is drinking up my spirit. Terrors of God array themselves [for] me!

⁵ Brayeth a wild ass over tender grass? Loweth an ox over his provender?

⁶ Eaten is an insipid thing without salt? Is there sense in the drivel of dreams?

⁷ My soul is refusing to touch! They [are] as my sickening food.

⁸ O that my request may come, That God may grant my hope!

⁹ That God would please — and bruise me, Loose His hand and cut me off!

¹⁰ And yet it is my comfort, (And I exult in pain — He doth not spare,) That I have not hidden The sayings of the Holy One.

¹¹ What [is] my power that I should hope? And what mine end That I should prolong my life?

¹² Is my strength the strength of stones? Is my flesh brazen?

¹³ Is not my help with me, And substance driven from me?

¹⁴ To a despiser of his friends [is] shame, And the fear of the Mighty he forsaketh.

¹⁵ My brethren have deceived as a brook, As a stream of brooks they pass away.

¹⁶ That are black because of ice, By them doth snow hide itself.

¹⁷ By the time they are warm they have been cut off, By its being hot they have been Extinguished from their place.

¹⁸ Turn aside do the paths of their way, They ascend into emptiness, and are lost.

¹⁹ Passengers of Tema looked expectingly, Travellers of Sheba hoped for them.

²⁰ They were ashamed that one hath trusted, They have come unto it and are confounded.

²¹ Surely now ye have become the same! Ye see a downfall, and are afraid.

²² Is it because I said, Give to me? And, By your power bribe for me?

²³ And, Deliver me from the hand of an adversary? And, From the hand of terrible ones ransom me?

²⁴ Shew me, and I — I keep silent, And what I have erred, let me understand.

²⁵ How powerful have been upright sayings, And what doth reproof from you reprove?

²⁶ For reproof — do you reckon words? And for wind — sayings of the desperate.

²⁷ Anger on the fatherless ye cause to fall, And are strange to your friend.

²⁸ And, now, please, look upon me, Even to your face do I lie?

²⁹ Turn back, I pray you, let it not be perverseness, Yea, turn back again — my righteousness [is] in it.

³⁰ Is there in my tongue perverseness? Discerneth not my palate desirable things?