Job 6

Revised Geneva Translation

6 But Job answered and said,

² “Oh that my grief was well-weighed, and that my miseries were laid with it on the scale!

³ “For it would now be heavier than the sand of the sea. Therefore, my words have been rash.

⁴ “For the arrows of the Almighty are in me. My spirit drinks up their poison. The terrors of God fight against me.

⁵ “Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass? Or does the ox bellow when he has fodder?

⁶ “That which is unsavory, shall it be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

⁷ “Such things my soul refused to touch, like food that made me ill.

⁸ “Oh that I might have my desire, and that God would grant me the thing that I long for:

⁹ “that is, that God would destroy me, that He would let His Hand go and cut me off.

¹⁰ “Then I would still have comfort (though I burn with sorrow, Him not sparing) because I have not denied the Words of the Holy One.

¹¹ “What strength do I have, that I should hope? Or what is my end if I should prolong my life?

¹² “Is my strength the strength of stones? Is my flesh of bronze?

¹³ “Is it not so, that there is no help in me, and that strength is taken from me?

¹⁴ “He who is in misery ought to be comforted by his neighbor. But men have forsaken the fear of the Almighty.

¹⁵ “My brothers have deceived me as a brook. As the rising of the rivers, they pass away,

¹⁶ “which are black with ice and wherein the snow is hidden.

¹⁷ “But in time they are dried up with heat and are consumed. And when it is hot, they vanish from their places.

¹⁸ “They depart from their way and course. They vanish and perish.

¹⁹ “Those who went to Tema, considered them. Those who went to Sheba, waited for them.

²⁰ “They were confounded. When they were confident, they came there and were embarrassed.

²¹ “Surely, now, you are like that. You have seen my fearful plague and are afraid.

²² “Did I say, ‘Bring to me,’ or ‘Give a reward to me from your substance,’

²³ “or ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand,’ or ‘Ransom me out of the hand of tyrants?’

²⁴ “Teach me, and I will hold my tongue. And cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

²⁵ “How steadfast are the words of righteousness! And what can any of you justly prove?

²⁶ “Do you plan to reprove words, so that the talk of the afflicted should be as the wind?

²⁷ “You make your wrath fall upon the fatherless, and dig a pit for your friend.

²⁸ “Now, therefore, be content to look at me. For I will not lie to your face.

²⁹ “Relent, please. Let there be no iniquity. Relent, I say, and you shall still see my righteousness. Is there iniquity on my tongue? Does not my mouth discern desire?”