Iyov (Job) 6
6
1Iyov responded:
2“I wish my frustration could be weighed,
all my calamities laid on the scales!
3They would outweigh the sands of the seas!
No wonder, then, that my words come out stammered!
4For the arrows of Shaddai find their mark in me,
and my spirit is drinking in their poison;
the terrors of God are arrayed against me.
5“Does a wild donkey bray when it has grass?
Does an ox low when it has fodder?
6Can food without flavor be eaten without salt?
Do egg whites have any taste?
7I refuse to touch them;
such food makes me sick.
8“If only I could have my wish granted,
and God would give me what I’m hoping for —
9that God would decide to crush me,
that he would let his hand loose and cut me off!
10Then I would feel consoled;
so that even in the face of unending pain,
I would be able to rejoice;
for I have not denied the words of the Holy One.
11“Have I enough strength to go on waiting?
What end can I expect, that I should be patient?
12Is my strength the strength of stones?
Is my flesh made of bronze?
13Clearly, I have no help in myself;
common sense has been driven from me.
14“A friend should be kind to an unhappy man,
even to one who abandons Shaddai.
15But my brothers are as deceptive as vadis,
as vadi streams that soon run dry;
16they may turn dark with ice
and be hidden by piled-up snow;
17but as the weather warms up, they vanish;
when it’s hot, they disappear.
18Their courses turn this way and that;
they go up into the confusing waste and are lost.
19The caravans from Tema look for them,
the travelers from Sh’va hope to find them;
20but they are disappointed, because they were confident;
on arrival there, they are frustrated.
21“For now, you have become like that —
just seeing my calamity makes you afraid.
22Did I say to you, ‘Give me something,’
or, ‘From your wealth, offer a bribe on my behalf,’
23or, ‘Save me from the enemy’s grip,’
or, ‘Redeem me from the clutches of oppressors’?
24“Teach me, and I will be silent.
Make me understand how I am at fault.
25Honest words are forceful indeed,
but what do your arguments prove?
26Do you think [your own] words constitute argument,
while the speech of a desperate man is merely wind?
27I suppose you would even throw dice for an orphan
or barter away your friend!
28“So now, I beg you, look at me!
Would I lie to your face?
29Think it over, please; don’t let wrong be done.
Think it over again: my cause is just.
30Am I saying something wrong?
Can’t I recognize trouble when I taste it?
Currently Selected:
Iyov (Job) 6: CJB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
For more information and to purchase a hard copy of the Complete Jewish Bible,
Learn More About Complete Jewish Bible