1 T hen Job answered,

But Job answered and said,

2 “ Oh that my grief were actually weighed And laid in the balances together with my calamity!

Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!

3 “ For then it would be heavier than the sand of the seas; Therefore my words have been rash.

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.

4 “ For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, Their poison my spirit drinks; The terrors of God are arrayed against me.

For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

5 “ Does the wild donkey bray over his grass, Or does the ox low over his fodder?

Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?

6 “ Can something tasteless be eaten without salt, Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

7 “ My soul refuses to touch them; They are like loathsome food to me.

The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.

8 “ Oh that my request might come to pass, And that God would grant my longing!

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

9 “ Would that God were willing to crush me, That He would loose His hand and cut me off!

Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

10 “ But it is still my consolation, And I rejoice in unsparing pain, That I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

11 “ What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is my end, that I should endure?

What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?

12 “ Is my strength the strength of stones, Or is my flesh bronze?

Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?

13 “ Is it that my help is not within me, And that deliverance is driven from me?

Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?

14 “ For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend; So that he does not forsake the fear of the Almighty.

To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

15 “ My brothers have acted deceitfully like a wadi, Like the torrents of wadis which vanish,

My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;

16 W hich are turbid because of ice And into which the snow melts.

which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:

17 “ When they become waterless, they are silent, When it is hot, they vanish from their place.

what time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

18 “ The paths of their course wind along, They go up into nothing and perish.

The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.

19 “ The caravans of Tema looked, The travelers of Sheba hoped for them.

The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.

20 “ They were disappointed for they had trusted, They came there and were confounded.

They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.

21 “ Indeed, you have now become such, You see a terror and are afraid.

For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.

22 “ Have I said, ‘Give me something,’ Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth,’

Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?

23 O r, ‘Deliver me from the hand of the adversary,’ Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants’?

Or, Deliver me from the enemy’s hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?

24 “ Teach me, and I will be silent; And show me how I have erred.

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

25 “ How painful are honest words! But what does your argument prove?

How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?

26 “ Do you intend to reprove my words, When the words of one in despair belong to the wind?

Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?

27 “ You would even cast lots for the orphans And barter over your friend.

Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.

28 “ Now please look at me, And see if I lie to your face.

Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie.

29 “ Desist now, let there be no injustice; Even desist, my righteousness is yet in it.

Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.

30 “ Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my palate discern calamities?

Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?