Job 6

New American Standard Bible 1995

Job’s Friends Are No Help

1Then Job 1answered,2“2Oh that my grief were actually weighed And laid in the balances together with my calamity!3For then it would be 3heavier than the sand of the seas; Therefore my words have been rash.4For the 4arrows of the Almighty are within me, 5Their 6poison my spirit drinks; The 7terrors of God are arrayed against me.5Does the 8wild donkey bray over his grass, Or does the ox low over his fodder?6Can something tasteless be eaten without salt, Or is there any taste in the 9white of an egg?7My soul 10refuses to touch them; They are like loathsome food to me.

8“Oh that my request might come to pass, And that God would grant my longing!9Would that God were 11willing to crush me, That He would loose His hand and cut me off!10But it is still my consolation, And I rejoice in unsparing pain, That I 12have not 13denied the words of the Holy One.11What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is my end, that I should 14 15endure?12Is my strength the strength of stones, Or is my flesh bronze?13Is it that my 16help is not within me, And that 17 18deliverance is driven from me?

14“For the 19despairing man there should be kindness from his friend; So that he does not 20forsake the 21fear of the Almighty.15My brothers have acted 22deceitfully like a 23wadi, Like the torrents of 24wadis which vanish,16Which are turbid because of ice And into which the snow 25melts.17When 26they become waterless, they 27are silent, When it is hot, they vanish from their place.18The 28paths of their course wind along, They go up into nothing and perish.19The caravans of 29Tema looked, The travelers of 30Sheba hoped for them.20They 31were 32disappointed for they had trusted, They came there and were confounded.21Indeed, you have now become such, 33You see a terror and are afraid.22Have I said, ‘Give me something,’ Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth,’23Or, ‘Deliver me from the hand of the adversary,’ Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants’?

24“Teach me, and 34I will be silent; And show me how I have erred.25How painful are honest words! But what does your argument prove?26Do you intend to reprove my words, When the 35words of one in despair belong to the wind?27You would even 36cast lots for 37the orphans And 38barter over your friend.28Now please look at me, And see if I 39lie to your face.29Desist now, let there be no injustice; Even desist, 40my righteousness is yet in it.30Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot 41my palate discern 42calamities?

Notes

1. Job 6:1 Lit answered and said ↩
2. Job 6:2 Job 31:6 ↩
3. Job 6:3 Job 23:2 ↩
4. Job 6:4 Job 16:13; Ps 38:2 ↩
5. Job 6:4 Lit Whose ↩
6. Job 6:4 Job 20:16; 21:20 ↩
7. Job 6:4 Job 30:15 ↩
8. Job 6:5 Job 39:5-8 ↩
9. Job 6:6 Heb hallamuth, meaning uncertain. Perhaps the juice of a plant ↩
10. Job 6:7 Job 3:24; 33:20 ↩
11. Job 6:9 Num 11:15; 1 Kin 19:4; Job 7:16; 9:21; 10:1 ↩
12. Job 6:10 Job 22:22; 23:11, 12 ↩
13. Job 6:10 Lit hidden ↩
14. Job 6:11 Lit prolong my soul ↩
15. Job 6:11 Job 21:4 ↩
16. Job 6:13 Job 26:2 ↩
17. Job 6:13 So ancient versions ↩
18. Job 6:13 Job 26:3 ↩
19. Job 6:14 Job 4:5 ↩
20. Job 6:14 Job 1:5; 15:4 ↩
21. Job 6:14 Or reverence ↩
22. Job 6:15 Jer 15:18 ↩
23. Job 6:15 Or brooks ↩
24. Job 6:15 Or brooks ↩
25. Job 6:16 Lit hides itself ↩
26. Job 6:17 Job 24:19 ↩
27. Job 6:17 Or cease ↩
28. Job 6:18 Or caravans turn from their course, they go up into the waste and perish ↩
29. Job 6:19 Gen 25:15; Is 21:14; Jer 25:23 ↩
30. Job 6:19 Job 1:15 ↩
31. Job 6:20 Jer 14:3 ↩
32. Job 6:20 Lit ashamed ↩
33. Job 6:21 Ps 38:11 ↩
34. Job 6:24 Ps 39:1 ↩
35. Job 6:26 Job 8:2; 15:2; 16:3 ↩
36. Job 6:27 Joel 3:3; Nah 3:10 ↩
37. Job 6:27 Job 22:9; 24:3, 9 ↩
38. Job 6:27 2 Pet 2:3 ↩
39. Job 6:28 Job 27:4; 33:3; 36:4 ↩
40. Job 6:29 Job 13:18; 19:6; 23:10; 27:5, 6; 34:5; 42:1-6 ↩
41. Job 6:30 Job 12:11 ↩
42. Job 6:30 Or words ↩

Job’s Friends Are No Help

Notes

Commentaries on Job 6