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Job 6
Evangelical Heritage Version
Job 6
Evangelical Heritage Version
Round One: Job’s Second Speech
6 Then Job responded:
2 If only my grief could be weighed,
and my devastation placed on the scales with it!
3 They would certainly weigh more than the sand of the sea!
No wonder my words have been rash.[a]
4 The arrows of the Almighty stick in me.
My spirit drinks in their poison.
The terrors of God are lined up against me.
5 Does the wild donkey bray when it has green grass?
Does the ox bellow when it is near its fodder?
6 Is tasteless food eaten without salt?
Is there flavor in the white of an egg?[b]
7 I absolutely refuse to touch it.
It is no better than sickening food.
8 If only my request would be granted.
If only God would grant me what I hope for:
9 that God would decide to crush me,
that he would unleash his hand and cut me off.
10 For then I would still have this comfort:
Even as I writhe in relentless pain,[c]
I have not denied the words of the Holy One.
11 What strength do I have to wait hopefully?
What end awaits me that would make me want to prolong my life?
12 Is my strength like stone,
or is my flesh bronze?
13 Certainly I have no power to help myself,
since the hope that I can recover has been driven far away from me.
14 A despairing person should receive loyalty[d] from his friends,
even if he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15 But my brothers are as undependable as gullies that dry up,
undependable as seasonal streams which overflow
16 when they are darkened by ice and swollen with melting snow,
17 but as quickly as they flood, they dry up in the scorching winds.[e]
When it gets hot, they vanish from their channels.
18 Caravans turn aside from their routes.
They go off into the empty wasteland and perish.
19 The caravans of Tema search for these streams.
The travelers of Sheba hope to find them,
20 but despite being confident, they are disappointed.
They arrive there only to be frustrated.
21 Now that is what you are like!
You have seen something dreadful and you panic.
22 Have I said, “Give me something,
or offer a payment on my behalf from your wealth”?
23 Have I said, “Save me from the hand of my enemy,
or redeem me from the hand of the ruthless”?
24 Teach me and I will be silent.
Help me understand what I have done wrong.
25 How painful honest words are!
But what does your rebuke prove?
26 Do you intend to attack me for mere words
by treating things said by a despairing man like wind?[f]
27 No doubt you would even cast lots for a fatherless child
and barter away your friend!
28 But now, please look at me.
I would not lie to your face!
29 Turn to me,[g] and get rid of injustice.
Turn to me. My righteousness is still intact.[h]
30 Is there any injustice on my tongue?
Wouldn’t my mouth detect it if I were speaking destructive words?[i]
Footnotes
- Job 6:3 Or reckless
- Job 6:6 Another suggestion is that this term refers to the sap of some plant. In either case, the meaning remains the same: a tasteless, unappetizing substance.
- Job 6:10 An alternative translation is I would be joyful even in relentless pain.
- Job 6:14 Or mercy
- Job 6:17 6-17 These lines are difficult.
- Job 6:26 This verse is difficult.
- Job 6:29 Or try again
- Job 6:29 Or my righteousness is at stake
- Job 6:30 This line is difficult.
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.
Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
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.