1 T hen Job answered,

Then Job answered and said,

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

Oh that my vexation were but weighed, And all my calamity laid in the balances!

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 seas: Therefore have my words been rash.

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 my spirit drinketh up: 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 hath no savor 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.

My soul refuseth to touch them; They are as loathsome food to me.

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 crush 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.

And be it still my consolation, Yea, let me exult in pain that spareth not, That I have not denied 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 wait? And what is mine end, that I should be patient?

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 it not that I have no help in me, And that wisdom is 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 ready to faint kindness should be showed from his friend; Even to him that 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, As the channel of brooks that pass away;

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

Which are black by reason of the ice, And wherein the snow hideth itself:

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 caravans that travel by the way of them turn aside; They go up into the waste, and perish.

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

The caravans 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 put to shame because they had hoped; They came thither, and were confounded.

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

For now ye are nothing; Ye see a terror, and are afraid.

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

Did I say, Give unto me? Or, Offer a present 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 adversary's hand? Or, Redeem me from the hand of the oppressors?

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

Teach me, and I will hold my peace; And cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

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

How forcible are words of uprightness! But your reproof, what doth it reprove?

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

Do ye think to reprove words, Seeing that the speeches of one that is desperate are as wind?

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

Yea, ye would cast lots upon the fatherless, And make merchandise of your friend.

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

Now therefore be pleased to look upon me; For surely I shall not lie to your face.

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

Return, I pray you, let there be no injustice; Yea, return again, my cause is righteous.

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

Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern mischievous things?