1 ¶ And Job answered and said,

2 O h that my grief and calamity were justly weighed and laid equally in the balances!

3 F or it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; therefore, my words are swallowed up.

4 F or the arrows of the Almighty are within me; my spirit drinks of the poison; and terrors of God combat me.

5 D oes the wild ass bray when he has grass? Does the ox low over his fodder?

6 C an that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

7 T he things that my soul refused to touch before, now by my sorrow are my food.

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

9 E ven that it would please God to destroy me, that he would let loose his hand and cut me off!

10 T hen should my comfort grow; I would hold on to sorrow without mercy; for I have not contradicted the words of the Holy One.

11 W hat is my strength that I should hope? What is my end that I should prolong my life?

12 I s my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh of steel?

13 A m I not doing all that I can, and even with all this I lack the power to do anything?

14 ¶ He that is afflicted deserves mercy from his friend; but he has forsaken the fear of the Almighty.

15 M y brethren have lied to me as a brook; they passed away as an impetuous stream,

16 w hich was hidden by ice and covered by snow.

17 W hich in the time of heat, they vanish; when they are heated, they disappear out of their place;

18 t hey turn aside out of the paths of their way; they go to nothing and perish.

19 T he travelers of Tema looked; the traveling companies of Sheba waited for them.

20 T hey were put to shame because of their hope; they came there and found them confused.

21 N ow ye are certainly as they; ye have seen the torment and are afraid.

22 ¶ Did I say, Bring unto me and pay for me out of your substance

23 a nd deliver me from the enemy’s hand and ransom me from the hand of the mighty?

24 T each me, and I will be silent; and cause me to understand in what I have erred.

25 H ow forcible are the words of rectitude! But what does your argument reprove?

26 A re ye not thinking up words of reproof and throw to the wind words that are lost?

27 Y e also overwhelm the fatherless and dig a pit before your friend.

28 N ow, therefore, if ye desire, look upon me and see if I shall lie in your presence.

29 T urn now, and there is no iniquity; return again to look for my righteousness in this.

30 I f there is iniquity in my tongue or if my taste cannot discern the torments.