Job 6

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¹Then Job answered and said,

²“Oh, if only my anguish were weighed; if only all my calamity were laid in the balance!

³For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas. That is why my words were reckless.

⁴For the arrows of the Almighty are in me, my spirit drinks up the poison; the terrors of God have arranged themselves in array against me.

⁵Does the wild donkey bray in despair when he has grass? Or does the ox low in hunger when it has fodder?

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

⁷I refuse to touch them; they are like disgusting food to me.

⁸Oh, that I might have my request; oh, that God would grant me the thing I long for:

⁹that it would please God to crush me once, that he would let loose his hand and cut me off from this life!

¹⁰May this still be my consolation— even if I exult in pain that does not lessen: that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

¹¹What is my strength, that I should try to wait? What is my end, that I should prolong my life?

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

¹³Is it not true that I have no help in myself, and that wisdom has been driven out of me?

¹⁴To the person who is about to faint, faithfulness should be shown by his friend; even to him who forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

¹⁵But my brothers have been as faithful to me as a desert streambed, as channels of water that pass away to nothing,

¹⁶which are darkened because of ice over them, and because of the snow that hides itself in them.

¹⁷When they thaw out, they vanish; when it is hot, they melt out of their place.

¹⁸The caravans that travel by their way turn aside for water; they wander into barren land and then perish.

¹⁹Caravans from Tema looked there, while companies of Sheba hoped in them.

²⁰They were disappointed because they had been confident of finding water. They went there, but they were deceived.

²¹For now you friends are nothing to me; you see my dreadful situation and are afraid.

²²Did I say to you, 'Give something to me?' Or, 'Offer me a gift from your wealth?'

²³Or, 'Save me from my adversary's hand?' Or, 'Ransom me from the hand of my oppressors?'

²⁴Teach me, and I will hold my peace; make me understand where I have been wrong.

²⁵How painful are truthful words! But your arguments, how do they actually rebuke me?

²⁶Do you plan to ignore my words, treating the words of a desperate man like the wind?

²⁷Indeed, you cast lots for a fatherless child, and haggle over your friend like merchandise.

²⁸Now, therefore, please look at me, for surely I would not lie to your face.

²⁹Relent, I beg you; let there be no injustice with you; Indeed, relent, for my cause is just.

³⁰Is there evil on my tongue? Cannot my mouth detect malicious things?