1 T hen Job answered,

And Job answereth and saith: --

2 O h, that my impatience and vexation might be weighed and all my calamity be laid up over against them in the balances, one against the other!

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

3 F or now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; therefore my words have been rash and wild,

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

4 b ecause the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison which my spirit drinks up; the terrors of God set themselves in array against me.

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

5 D oes the wild ass bray when it has grass? Or does the ox low over its fodder?

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

6 C an that which has no taste to it be eaten without salt? Or is there any flavor in the white of an egg?

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

7 m y soul refuses to touch! Such things are like diseased food to me!

My soul is refusing to touch! They as my sickening food.

8 O h, that I might have my request, and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

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

9 I even wish that it would please God to crush me, that He would let loose His hand and cut me off!

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

10 T hen would I still have consolation—yes, I would leap amid unsparing pain —that I have not concealed or denied the words of the Holy One!

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 W hat strength have I left, that I should wait and hope? And what is ahead of me, that I should be patient?

What my power that I should hope? And what mine end That I should prolong my life?

12 I s my strength and endurance that of stones? Or is my flesh made of bronze?

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

13 I s it not that I have no help in myself, and that wisdom is quite driven from me?

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

14 T o him who is about to faint and despair, kindness is due from his friend, lest he forsake the fear of the Almighty.

To a despiser of his friends shame, And the fear of the Mighty he forsaketh.

15 m y brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, as the channel of brooks that pass away,

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

16 W hich are black and turbid by reason of the ice, and in which the snows hides itself;

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

17 W hen they get warm, they shrink and disappear; when it is hot, they vanish out of their place.

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

18 T he caravans which travel by way of them turn aside; they go into the waste places and perish.

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

19 T he caravans of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.

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

20 T hey were confounded because they had hoped; they came there and were bitterly disappointed.

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

21 N ow to me you are; you see my dismay and terror, and you are afraid.

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

22 D id I ever say, Bring me a gift, or Pay a bribe on my account from your wealth

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

23 T o deliver me from the adversary’s hand, or Redeem me from the hand of the oppressors?

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

24 T each me, and I will hold my peace; and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

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

25 H ow forcible are words of straightforward speech! But what does your arguing argue and prove or your reproof reprove?

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

26 D o you imagine your words to be an argument, but the speeches of one who is desperate to be as wind?

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

27 Y es, you would cast lots over the fatherless and bargain away your friend.

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

28 N ow be pleased to look upon me, that it may be evident to you if I lie.

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

29 R eturn, I pray you, let there be no injustice; yes, return again, my vindication is in it.

Turn back, I pray you, let it not be perverseness, Yea, turn back again -- my righteousness in it.

30 I s there wrong on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern what is destructive?

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