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Job 6

¹ Job

¹ Then Job replied:

² "If only my anguish could be weighed ² and all my misery be placed on the scales!Job 31:6Pr 11:1; Da 5:27 ² Job 31:6

³ It would surely outweigh the sand1Ki 4:29Pr 27:3 of the seas— ³ Pr 27:3 ³ no wonder my words have been impetuous.ver 11,26Job 7:11; 16:6; 21:423:2 ³ Job 23:2

⁴ The arrowsS Dt 32:23Ps 38:2 of the AlmightyS Ge 17:1 are in me,Job 7:2016:12,1319:12; La 3:12 ⁴ Job 16:12-13; Ps 38:2 ⁴ my spirit drinksJob 21:20 in their poison;S Dt 32:32; Job 30:21; 34:6; Jer 15:18; 30:12 ⁴ Job 21:20 ⁴ God's terrorsJob 9:34; 13:21; 18:11; 23:6; 27:2030:1533:16 are marshaled against me.S Job 3:23Ps 88:15-18 ⁴ Ps 88:15-18

⁵ Does a wild donkeyS Ge 16:12 brayJob 30:7 when it has grass, ⁵ or an ox bellow when it has fodder?Job 24:6; Isa 30:24

⁶ Is tasteless food eaten without salt, ⁶ or is there flavor in the white of an egg^[a] The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain. ?Job 33:20; Ps 107:18

⁷ I refuse to touch it; ⁷ such food makes me ill.S Job 3:24 ⁷ Job 3:24

⁸ "Oh, that I might have my request, ⁸ that God would grant what I hope for,Job 14:13 ⁸ Job 14:13

⁹ that God would be willing to crushJob 19:2 me, ⁹ to let loose his hand and cut me off !S Nu 11:151Ki 19:4S Ps 31:22 ⁹ Nu 11:15; 1Ki 19:4

¹⁰ Then I would still have this consolationS Job 2:11; 15:11; Ps 94:19— ¹⁰ my joy in unrelenting painPs 38:17; Jer 4:19; 45:3— ¹⁰ that I had not denied the wordsJob 22:2223:12Ps 119:102; Mk 8:38 of the Holy One.S Lev 11:44; S 2Ki 19:22; S Isa 31:1Lev 19:2; Isa 57:15 ¹⁰ Job 23:12

¹¹ "What strength do I have, that I should still hope? ¹¹ What prospects, that I should be patient?S ver 3Job 21:4 ¹¹ Job 21:4

¹² Do I have the strength of stone? ¹² Is my flesh bronze?Job 26:2

¹³ Do I have any power to help myself,Job 26:2 ¹³ Job 26:2 ¹³ now that success has been driven from me?

¹⁴ "A despairing manS Job 4:5 should have the devotion1Sa 20:42Job 15:4 of his friends,Job 12:4; 17:2,6; 19:19,21; 21:3; 30:1,10; Ps 38:11; 69:20; 1Jn 3:17 ¹⁴ Job 4:5; 15:4 ¹⁴ even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.S Ge 17:1

¹⁵ But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams,Job 13:4; 16:2; 21:34Ps 22:138:11; Jer 15:18 ¹⁵ Ps 38:11; Jer 15:18 ¹⁵ as the streams that overflow

¹⁶ when darkened by thawing ice ¹⁶ and swollen with melting snow,Ps 147:18

¹⁷ but that cease to flow in the dry season, ¹⁷ and in the heatJob 24:19 vanish from their channels. ¹⁷ Job 24:19

¹⁸ Caravans turn aside from their routes; ¹⁸ they go up into the wasteland and perish.

¹⁹ The caravans of TemaS Ge 25:15Isa 21:14 look for water, ¹⁹ Ge 25:15; Isa 21:14 ¹⁹ the traveling merchants of ShebaS Ge 10:7,28 look in hope.

²⁰ They are distressed, because they had been confident; ²⁰ they arrive there, only to be disappointed.Jer 14:3Joel 1:11 ²⁰ Jer 14:3

²¹ Now you too have proved to be of no help; ²¹ you see something dreadful and are afraid.Ps 38:11 ²¹ Ps 38:11

²² Have I ever said, 'Give something on my behalf, ²² pay a ransomS Nu 35:31; Job 33:24; Ps 49:7 for me from your wealth,Jer 15:10

²³ deliver me from the hand of the enemy, ²³ ransom me from the clutches of the ruthless'?S 2Ki 19:19

²⁴ "Teach me, and I will be quiet;S Job 2:10; 33:33Ps 39:1141:3; Pr 10:19; 11:12; 17:27; Ecc 5:2 ²⁴ Ps 39:1 ²⁴ show me where I have been wrong.Job 19:4

²⁵ How painful are honest words!Ecc 12:11Isa 22:23 ²⁵ Ecc 12:11 ²⁵ But what do your arguments prove?

²⁶ Do you mean to correct what I say, ²⁶ and treat the words of a despairing man as wind?S ver 3; S Ge 41:6Job 8:215:316:3; Jer 5:13 ²⁶ Job 8:2; 15:3

²⁷ You would even cast lotsEze 24:6Joel 3:3Ob 1:11Na 3:102Pe 2:3 for the fatherlessS Ex 22:22,24; Job 31:17,21; Isa 10:2 ²⁷ Joel 3:3; Na 3:10 ²⁷ and barter away your friend.

²⁸ "But now be so kind as to look at me. ²⁸ Would I lie to your face?Job 9:15; 24:2527:432:1033:1,334:636:3,4 ²⁸ Job 27:4

²⁹ Relent, do not be unjust;Job 19:6; 27:2; 40:8; Isa 40:27 ²⁹ reconsider, for my integrityS Job 2:3 is at stake.^[b] Or my righteousness still standsJob 9:21; 10:7; 11:2; 12:423:7,1033:9,3234:5,3635:242:6Ps 66:10; Zec 13:9 ²⁹ Job 23:7,10; 34:5,36

³⁰ Is there any wickedness on my lips?Job 27:4 ³⁰ Job 27:4 ³⁰ Can my mouth not discernJob 12:11 malice? ³⁰ Job 12:11 Job 7

¹ "Does not man have hard serviceJob 14:14Isa 40:2 on earth?S Job 5:7 ¹ Job 14:14; Isa 40:2 ¹ Are not his days like those of a hired man?S Lev 25:50Job 14:6 ¹ Job 14:6

² Like a slave longing for the evening shadows,Job 14:1; Ecc 2:23 ² or a hired man waiting eagerly for his wages,S Lev 19:13S Job 14:6 ² Lev 19:13

³ so I have been allotted months of futility, ³ and nights of misery have been assigned to me.Job 16:7; Ps 6:642:3; 56:8; Ecc 4:1; Isa 16:9; Jer 9:1; La 1:2,16 ³ Job 16:7; Ps 6:6

⁴ When I lie down I think, 'How long before I get up?'Dt 28:67 ⁴ Dt 28:67 ⁴ The night drags on, and I toss till dawn.ver 13-14

⁵ My body is clothed with wormsJob 17:1421:26; 24:20; 25:6Isa 14:11 and scabs, ⁵ Job 17:14 ⁵ my skin is broken and festering.S Dt 28:35

⁶ "My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle,Job 9:25Ps 39:5; Isa 38:12 ⁶ Job 9:25 ⁶ and they come to an end without hope.Job 13:1514:1917:11,1519:10; Ps 37:4; 52:9 ⁶ Job 13:15

⁷ Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath;ver 16; Ge 27:46Ps 39:4,5,11; 62:978:3989:47; 144:4; Ecc 7:15; S Jas 4:14 ⁷ Ps 78:39; Jas 4:14 ⁷ my eyes will never see happiness again.Job 10:20Job 9:25 ⁷ Job 9:25

⁸ The eye that now sees me will see me no longer; ⁸ you will look for me, but I will be no more.S Job 3:13; 8:18; 15:2920:7,9,2127:17; Ps 37:36; 103:16; Isa 41:12; Jn 16:16; Ac 20:25 ⁸ Job 20:7,9,21

⁹ As a cloud vanishesS Job 3:25 and is gone, ⁹ so he who goes down to the grave^[c] Hebrew SheolS Job 3:1311:814:13; 17:16; 26:6; 38:17; Am 9:2 does not return.2Sa 12:23Job 30:15 ⁹ 2Sa 12:23; Job 11:8

¹⁰ He will never come to his house again; ¹⁰ his placeJob 18:21; 21:1827:21,23Ps 58:9; Jer 18:17; 19:8 will know him no more.S ver 8; Ps 37:10; 104:35Job 8:18 ¹⁰ Job 8:18; 27:21,23

¹¹ "Therefore I will not keep silent;Job 9:35; 13:13Ps 22:240:9 ¹¹ Ps 40:9 ¹¹ I will speak out in the anguishJob 10:1; Ps 6:3; Isa 38:15,17 of my spirit, ¹¹ I will complainver 13; Job 9:27; 21:4; 23:2 in the bitterness of my soul.S 1Sa 1:10S Job 6:3 ¹¹ 1Sa 1:10

¹² Am I the sea,Job 38:8-11 or the monster of the deep,S Ge 1:21Eze 32:2-3 ¹² Eze 32:2-3 ¹² that you put me under guard?ver 20; Isa 1:14

¹³ When I think my bed will comfort me ¹³ and my couch will ease my complaint,S ver 11Job 9:27 ¹³ Job 9:27

¹⁴ even then you frighten me with dreams ¹⁴ and terrifyJob 9:34 me with visions,S Ge 41:8; S Job 3:26 ¹⁴ Job 9:34

¹⁵ so that I prefer strangling and death,1Ki 19:4Jnh 4:3 ¹⁵ 1Ki 19:4 ¹⁵ rather than this body of mine.Job 6:9; Rev 9:6

¹⁶ I despise my life;S 1Ki 19:4Job 9:2110:1 I would not live forever.S Job 3:22 ¹⁶ Job 10:1 ¹⁶ Let me alone;ver 19; Job 10:20; Ps 39:13 my days have no meaning.S ver 7

¹⁷ "What is man that you make so much of him, ¹⁷ that you give him so much attention,S Job 4:19; 22:2Ps 8:4; 144:3; Heb 2:6 ¹⁷ Ps 8:4; 144:3; Heb 2:6

¹⁸ that you examine him every morningPs 73:14 ¹⁸ and test himJob 23:10; Ps 139:23 every moment?Job 14:3Ps 17:3; 26:2; 66:10; 139:1-6; 143:2 ¹⁸ Job 14:3

¹⁹ Will you never look away from me,S ver 16 ¹⁹ or let me alone even for an instant?Job 9:1813:26; 14:6; 27:2; Ps 139:7 ¹⁹ Job 9:18

²⁰ If I have sinned, what have I done to you,Job 35:6Jer 7:19 ²⁰ Job 35:6 ²⁰ O watcher of men? ²⁰ Why have you made me your target?S Job 6:4Job 16:12 ²⁰ Job 16:12 ²⁰ Have I become a burden to you?^[d] A few manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition and Septuagint; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text I have become a burden to myself.S ver 12

²¹ Why do you not pardon my offenses ²¹ and forgive my sins?Job 9:2810:1416:6; Ps 119:120; Isa 43:25; Jer 31:34; Heb 1:3 ²¹ Job 10:14 ²¹ For I will soon lie down in the dust;S Ge 3:19Job 10:934:15Ps 7:5; 22:15; 90:3104:29 ²¹ Ps 104:29 ²¹ you will search for me, but I will be no more."S ver 8; S Job 3:13 Job 8

¹ Bildad

¹ Then Bildad the ShuhiteS Ge 25:2; Job 18:1; 25:1 replied:

² "How long will you say such things?Job 11:2; 18:2 ² Your words are a blustering wind.S 2Ch 36:16; S Job 6:26 ² Job 6:26

³ Does God pervert justice?Dt 32:4; 2Ch 19:7S Job 4:17; 34:12; Isa 29:15Ro 3:5 ³ Dt 32:4; Ro 3:5 ³ Does the Almighty pervert what is right?S Ge 18:25S Jer 12:1 ³ Ge 18:25

⁴ When your children sinned against him, ⁴ he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.Job 1:19 ⁴ Job 1:19

⁵ But if you will look to God ⁵ and pleadJob 9:15Job 11:13 with the Almighty,S Job 5:8,27 ⁵ Job 11:13

⁶ if you are pure and upright, ⁶ even now he will rouse himself on your behalfS Job 5:15; 22:27; 33:26; 34:28; Isa 58:9; 65:24Ps 7:6 ⁶ Ps 7:6 ⁶ and restore you to your rightful place.S Job 5:24 ⁶ Job 5:24

⁷ Your beginnings will seem humble, ⁷ so prosperousJob 21:13; 22:21; 36:11; Ps 25:13Job 42:12 will your future be.S Job 1:10; Jer 29:11; 31:17 ⁷ Job 42:12

⁸ "Ask the former generationsS Dt 4:3232:7Job 15:18S Ps 71:18 ⁸ Dt 32:7; Job 15:18 ⁸ and find out what their fathers learned,

⁹ for we were born only yesterday and know nothing,S Ge 47:9 ⁹ Ge 47:9 ⁹ and our days on earth are but a shadow.S 1Ch 29:15S 2Ch 10:6; S Ps 39:6Job 7:6 ⁹ 1Ch 29:15; Job 7:6

¹⁰ Will they not instructPr 1:8 you and tell you? ¹⁰ Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?Pr 2:1-2; 4:1 ¹⁰ Pr 4:1

¹¹ Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?Job 40:21 ¹¹ Can reedsS Ex 2:3; Isa 19:6; 35:7 thrive without water?

¹² While still growing and uncut, ¹² they wither more quickly than grass.ver 19; S 2Ki 19:26; Job 18:16; 20:5; Ps 90:5-6; 102:11; Isa 34:4; 40:7,24Ps 129:6; Jer 17:6 ¹² Ps 129:6; Jer 17:6

¹³ Such is the destinyPs 37:38; 73:17 of all who forget God;Ps 9:1750:22; Isa 51:13; Jer 17:6 ¹³ Ps 9:17 ¹³ so perishes the hope of the godless.Job 6:911:2013:16; 15:3420:5; 27:8; 34:30; Ps 37:1-2; 112:10Pr 10:2811:7; Jer 15:9 ¹³ Job 11:20; Pr 10:28

¹⁴ What he trusts in is fragile^[e] The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.; ¹⁴ what he relies on is a spider's web.ver 15; Job 27:18Isa 59:5 ¹⁴ Isa 59:5

¹⁵ He leans on his web,S ver 14Job 27:18 but it gives way; ¹⁵ Job 27:18 ¹⁵ he clings to it, but it does not hold.Ps 49:11Mt 7:26-27 ¹⁵ Ps 49:11

¹⁶ He is like a well-watered plant in the sunshine, ¹⁶ spreading its shootsPs 80:11Isa 16:8 over the garden;Ps 37:35Jer 11:16 ¹⁶ Ps 37:35; 80:11

¹⁷ it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks ¹⁷ and looks for a place among the stones.

¹⁸ But when it is torn from its spot, ¹⁸ that place disownsJob 20:9; Ps 103:16 it and says, 'I never saw you.'S Job 7:8S 14:20Ps 37:36 ¹⁸ Job 7:8; Ps 37:36

¹⁹ Surely its life withersS ver 12; S Job 15:30Job 20:5 away, ¹⁹ Job 20:5 ¹⁹ and^[f] Or Surely all the joy it has / is that from the soil other plants grow.Ps 119:90Ecc 1:4 ¹⁹ Ecc 1:4

²⁰ "Surely God does not reject a blamelessJob 1:1 man ²⁰ Job 1:1 ²⁰ or strengthen the hands of evildoers.S Ge 18:25Job 21:30 ²⁰ Job 21:30

²¹ He will yet fill your mouth with laughterS Job 5:22 ²¹ Job 5:22 ²¹ and your lips with shouts of joy.S Ezr 3:13; Job 35:10Ps 47:5; 107:22; 118:15126:2132:16Isa 35:6 ²¹ Ps 126:2

²² Your enemies will be clothed in shame,Job 27:7Ps 6:1035:2644:7; 53:5; 71:13; 86:17109:29132:18Eze 7:27; 26:16 ²² Ps 35:26; 109:29 ²² and the tentsS Job 4:21 of the wicked will be no more."S 1Sa 8:3Job 18:6,14,2121:28; 27:8,18; 34:26; 36:6; 38:13; Ps 52:5; Pr 14:11 ²² Job 18:6,14,21

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