Font Size
Job 6
International Children’s Bible
Job 6
International Children’s Bible
Job Answers Eliphaz
6 Then Job answered:
2 “I wish my suffering could be weighed.
And I wish my misery could be put on the scales.
3 My sadness would be heavier than the sand of the seas.
No wonder my words seem careless.
4 The arrows of God All-Powerful are in me.
My spirit drinks in their poison.
God’s terrors are gathered against me.
5 A wild donkey does not bray when it has grass to eat.
An ox is quiet when it has feed.
6 Tasteless food is not eaten without salt.
There is no flavor in the white part of an egg.
7 I refuse to touch it.
Such food makes me sick.
8 “How I wish I might have what I ask for.
How I wish God would give me what I hope for.
9 I wish God would be willing to crush me
and reach out his hand to destroy me.
10 Then I would have this comfort.
I would be glad even in this unending pain.
I would know I did not reject the words of the Holy One.
11 “I do not have the strength to wait.
There is nothing to hope for so how can I be patient?
12 I do not have the strength of stone.
My flesh is not bronze.
13 I have no power to help myself.
This is because success has been taken away from me.
14 “They say, ‘A man’s friends should be kind to him when he is in trouble.
This should be done even if he stops fearing God All-Powerful.’
15 But my brothers cannot be counted on.
They are like streams that do not flow regularly,
streams that sometimes run over.
16 They are like streams made dark by melting ice,
that rise with melting snow.
17 But they stop flowing when it is the dry season.
They go away when it is hot.
18 Groups of travelers turn away from their paths.
They go into the desert and die.
19 The groups of travelers from Tema look for water.
The traders of Sheba who travel look hopefully.
20 They are upset because they had been sure.
But when they arrive, they are disappointed.
21 You also have been no help.
You see something terrible, and you are afraid.
22 I have never said, ‘Give me a gift.
Use your wealth to pay my debt.
23 Save me from the enemy’s power.
Buy me back from the clutches of cruel people.’
24 “Teach me, and I will be quiet.
Show me where I have been wrong.
25 Honest words are painful!
But your arguments prove nothing.
26 Do you mean to correct what I say?
Will you treat the words of a troubled man as if they were only wind?
27 You would even throw lots for orphans.
And you would trade away your friend.
28 “But now please look at me.
I would not lie to your face.
29 Change your mind. Do not be unfair.
Think again, because my innocence is being questioned.
30 What I am saying is not wicked.
I can tell the difference between right and wrong.
Job 6
New International Version
Job 6
New International Version
Job
6 Then Job replied:
2 “If only my anguish could be weighed
and all my misery be placed on the scales!(A)
3 It would surely outweigh the sand(B) of the seas—
no wonder my words have been impetuous.(C)
4 The arrows(D) of the Almighty(E) are in me,(F)
my spirit drinks(G) in their poison;(H)
God’s terrors(I) are marshaled against me.(J)
5 Does a wild donkey(K) bray(L) when it has grass,
or an ox bellow when it has fodder?(M)
6 Is tasteless food eaten without salt,
or is there flavor in the sap of the mallow[a]?(N)
7 I refuse to touch it;
such food makes me ill.(O)
8 “Oh, that I might have my request,
that God would grant what I hope for,(P)
9 that God would be willing to crush(Q) me,
to let loose his hand and cut off my life!(R)
10 Then I would still have this consolation(S)—
my joy in unrelenting pain(T)—
that I had not denied the words(U) of the Holy One.(V)
11 “What strength do I have, that I should still hope?
What prospects, that I should be patient?(W)
12 Do I have the strength of stone?
Is my flesh bronze?(X)
13 Do I have any power to help myself,(Y)
now that success has been driven from me?
14 “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend(Z)
forsakes the fear of the Almighty.(AA)
15 But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams,(AB)
as the streams that overflow
16 when darkened by thawing ice
and swollen with melting snow,(AC)
17 but that stop flowing in the dry season,
and in the heat(AD) vanish from their channels.
18 Caravans turn aside from their routes;
they go off into the wasteland and perish.
19 The caravans of Tema(AE) look for water,
the traveling merchants of Sheba(AF) look in hope.
20 They are distressed, because they had been confident;
they arrive there, only to be disappointed.(AG)
21 Now you too have proved to be of no help;
you see something dreadful and are afraid.(AH)
22 Have I ever said, ‘Give something on my behalf,
pay a ransom(AI) for me from your wealth,(AJ)
23 deliver me from the hand of the enemy,
rescue me from the clutches of the ruthless’?(AK)
24 “Teach me, and I will be quiet;(AL)
show me where I have been wrong.(AM)
25 How painful are honest words!(AN)
But what do your arguments prove?
26 Do you mean to correct what I say,
and treat my desperate words as wind?(AO)
27 You would even cast lots(AP) for the fatherless(AQ)
and barter away your friend.
International Children’s Bible (ICB) 
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.