Job 6:14-27 - Compare All Versions

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“Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty. But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams, as the streams that overflow when darkened by thawing ice and swollen with melting snow, but that stop flowing in the dry season, and in the heat vanish from their channels. Caravans turn aside from their routes; they go off into the wasteland and perish. The caravans of Tema look for water, the traveling merchants of Sheba look in hope. They are distressed, because they had been confident; they arrive there, only to be disappointed. Now you too have proved to be of no help; you see something dreadful and are afraid. Have I ever said, ‘Give something on my behalf, pay a ransom for me from your wealth, deliver me from the hand of the enemy, rescue me from the clutches of the ruthless’? “Teach me, and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong. How painful are honest words! But what do your arguments prove? Do you mean to correct what I say, and treat my desperate words as wind? You would even cast lots for the fatherless and barter away your friend.

“He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty. My brothers are treacherous as a torrent-bed, as torrential streams that pass away, which are dark with ice, and where the snow hides itself. When they melt, they disappear; when it is hot, they vanish from their place. The caravans turn aside from their course; they go up into the waste and perish. The caravans of Tema look, the travelers of Sheba hope. They are ashamed because they were confident; they come there and are disappointed. For you have now become nothing; you see my calamity and are afraid. Have I said, ‘Make me a gift’? Or, ‘From your wealth offer a bribe for me’? Or, ‘Deliver me from the adversary’s hand’? Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the ruthless’? “Teach me, and I will be silent; make me understand how I have gone astray. How forceful are upright words! But what does reproof from you reprove? Do you think that you can reprove words, when the speech of a despairing man is wind? You would even cast lots over the fatherless, and bargain over your friend.

“One should be kind to a fainting friend, but you accuse me without any fear of the Almighty. My brothers, you have proved as unreliable as a seasonal brook that overflows its banks in the spring when it is swollen with ice and melting snow. But when the hot weather arrives, the water disappears. The brook vanishes in the heat. The caravans turn aside to be refreshed, but there is nothing to drink, so they die. The caravans from Tema search for this water; the travelers from Sheba hope to find it. They count on it but are disappointed. When they arrive, their hopes are dashed. You, too, have given no help. You have seen my calamity, and you are afraid. But why? Have I ever asked you for a gift? Have I begged for anything of yours for myself? Have I asked you to rescue me from my enemies, or to save me from ruthless people? Teach me, and I will keep quiet. Show me what I have done wrong. Honest words can be painful, but what do your criticisms amount to? Do you think your words are convincing when you disregard my cry of desperation? You would even send an orphan into slavery or sell a friend.

A despairing man should receive loyalty from his friends,  , even if he abandons the fear of the Almighty. My brothers are as treacherous as a wadi, as seasonal streams that overflow and become darkened  because of ice, and the snow melts into them. The wadis evaporate in warm weather; they disappear from their channels in hot weather. Caravans turn away from their routes, go up into the desert, and perish. The caravans of Tema look for these streams. The traveling merchants of Sheba hope for them. They are ashamed because they had been confident of finding water. When they arrive there, they are disappointed.  So this is what you have now become to me.  When you see something dreadful, you are afraid. Have I ever said, “Give me something” or “Pay a bribe for me from your wealth” or “Deliver me from the enemy’s hand” or “Redeem me from the hand of the ruthless”? Teach me, and I will be silent. Help me understand what I did wrong. How painful honest words can be! But what does your rebuke prove? Do you think that you can disprove my words or that a despairing man’s words are mere wind?  No doubt you would cast lots for a fatherless child and negotiate a price to sell your friend.

To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; But he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty. My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, And as the stream of brooks they pass away; Which are blackish by reason of the ice, And wherein the snow is hid: What time they wax warm, they vanish: When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place. The paths of their way are turned aside; They go to nothing, and perish. The troops of Tema looked, The companies of Sheba waited for them. They were confounded because they had hoped; They came thither, and were ashamed. For now ye are nothing; Ye see my casting down, and are afraid. Did I say, Bring unto me? Or, Give a reward for me of your substance? Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? Or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty? Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: And cause me to understand wherein I have erred. How forcible are right words! But what doth your arguing reprove? Do ye imagine to reprove words, And the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind? Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, And ye dig a pit for your friend.

“To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook, Like the streams of the brooks that pass away, Which are dark because of the ice, And into which the snow vanishes. When it is warm, they cease to flow; When it is hot, they vanish from their place. The paths of their way turn aside, They go nowhere and perish. The caravans of Tema look, The travelers of Sheba hope for them. They are disappointed because they were confident; They come there and are confused. For now you are nothing, You see terror and are afraid. Did I ever say, ‘Bring something to me’? Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’? Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand’? Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of oppressors’? “Teach me, and I will hold my tongue; Cause me to understand wherein I have erred. How forceful are right words! But what does your arguing prove? Do you intend to rebuke my words, And the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind? Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless, And you undermine your friend.

“When desperate people give up on God Almighty, their friends, at least, should stick with them. But my brothers are fickle as a gulch in the desert— one day they’re gushing with water From melting ice and snow cascading out of the mountains, But by midsummer they’re dry, gullies baked dry in the sun. Travelers who spot them and go out of their way for a drink end up in a waterless gulch and die of thirst. Merchant caravans from Tema see them and expect water, tourists from Sheba hope for a cool drink. They arrive so confident—but what a disappointment! They get there, and their faces fall! And you, my so-called friends, are no better— there’s nothing to you! One look at a hard scene and you shrink in fear. It’s not as though I asked you for anything— I didn’t ask you for one red cent— Nor did I beg you to go out on a limb for me. So why all this dodging and shuffling? “Confront me with the truth and I’ll shut up, show me where I’ve gone off the track. Honest words never hurt anyone, but what’s the point of all this pious bluster? You pretend to tell me what’s wrong with my life, but treat my words of anguish as so much hot air. Are people mere things to you? Are friends just items of profit and loss?

¶“For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend; So that he does not abandon the fear of the Almighty. “My brothers have acted deceitfully like a wadi, Like the torrents of wadis which drain away, Which are darkened because of ice, And into which the snow melts. “When they dry up, they vanish; When it is hot, they disappear from their place. “The paths of their course wind along, They go up into wasteland and perish. “The caravans of Tema looked, The travelers of Sheba hoped for them. “They were put to shame, for they had trusted, They came there and were humiliated. “Indeed, you have now become such, You see terrors and are afraid. “Have I said, ‘Give me something,’ Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth,’ Or, ‘Save me from the hand of the enemy,’ Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants’? ¶“Teach me, and I will be silent; And show me how I have done wrong. “How painful are honest words! But what does your argument prove? “Do you intend to rebuke my words, When the words of one in despair belong to the wind? “You would even cast lots for the orphans, And barter over your friend.

¶“For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend; So that he does not abandon (turn away from) the fear of the Almighty. “My brothers have acted deceitfully like a brook, Like the torrents of brooks that vanish, Which are dull and dirty because of ice, And into which the snow melts and hides itself; When it is warm, they are silent and cease to flow; When it is hot, they vanish from their place. “The paths of their course wind along, They go up into nothing and perish. [Your counsel is as helpful to me as a dry streambed in the heat of summer.] “The caravans of Tema looked [for water], The caravans of Sheba waited for them [in vain]. “They were put to shame and disappointed because they had trusted [that they would find water]; They came there and were ashamed. “Indeed, you have now become like a dried-up stream, You see a terror [believing me to be a victim of the wrath of God] and are afraid [to be compassionate]. “Did I ever say, ‘Give me something,’ Or, ‘Pay a bribe for me from your wealth,’ Or, ‘Rescue me from the adversary’s hand,’ Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants’? ¶“Teach me, and I will be silent; And show me how I have erred. “How painful are words of honesty. But what does your argument prove? “Do you intend to reprove my words [with a convincing argument], When the words of one in despair belong to the wind [and go ignored]? “You would cast lots (gamble) over the fatherless And bargain away your friend.

“To the one in despair, kindness should come from his friend even if he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. My brothers have been as treacherous as a seasonal stream, and as the riverbeds of the intermittent streams that flow away. They are dark because of ice; snow is piled up over them. When they are scorched, they dry up, when it is hot, they vanish from their place. Caravans turn aside from their routes; they go into the wasteland and perish. The caravans of Tema looked intently for these streams; the traveling merchants of Sheba hoped for them. They were distressed, because each one had been so confident; they arrived there, but were disappointed. For now you have become like these streams that are no help; you see a terror, and are afraid. “Have I ever said, ‘Give me something, and from your fortune make gifts in my favor’? Or ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s power, and from the hand of tyrants ransom me’? “Teach me and I, for my part, will be silent; explain to me how I have been mistaken. How painful are honest words! But what does your reproof prove? Do you intend to criticize mere words, and treat the words of a despairing man as wind? Yes, you would gamble for the fatherless, and auction off your friend.