Job 6:1-14

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Job 6:1-23 The Message (MSG)

Job answered: “If my misery could be weighed, if you could pile the whole bitter load on the scales, It would be heavier than all the sand of the sea! Is it any wonder that I’m howling like a caged cat? The arrows of God Almighty are in me, poison arrows—and I’m poisoned all through! God has dumped the whole works on me. Donkeys bray and cows moo when they run out of pasture— so don’t expect me to keep quiet in this. Do you see what God has dished out for me? It’s enough to turn anyone’s stomach! Everything in me is repulsed by it— it makes me sick. “All I want is an answer to one prayer, a last request to be honored: Let God step on me—squash me like a bug, and be done with me for good. I’d at least have the satisfaction of not having blasphemed the Holy God, before being pressed past the limits. Where’s the strength to keep my hopes up? What future do I have to keep me going? Do you think I have nerves of steel? Do you think I’m made of iron? Do you think I can pull myself up by my bootstraps? Why, I don’t even have any boots! “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?

Job 6:1-14 King James Version (KJV)

But Job answered and said, Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, And my calamity laid in the balances together! For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: Therefore my words are swallowed up. For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, The poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me. Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? Or loweth the ox over his fodder? Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg? The things that my soul refused to touch Are as my sorrowful meat. Oh that I might have my request; And that God would grant me the thing that I long for! Even that it would please God to destroy me; That he would let loose his hand, and cut me off! Then should I yet have comfort; Yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; For I have not concealed the words of the Holy One. What is my strength, that I should hope? And what is mine end, that I should prolong my life? Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh of brass? Is not my help in me? And is wisdom driven quite from me? To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; But he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

Job 6:1-14 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)

Then Job answered, “Oh that my grief were actually weighed And laid in the balances together with my calamity! For then it would be heavier than the sand of the seas; Therefore my words have been rash. For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, Their poison my spirit drinks; The terrors of God are arrayed against me. Does the wild donkey bray over his grass, Or does the ox low over his fodder? Can something tasteless be eaten without salt, Or is there any taste in the white of an egg? My soul refuses to touch them; They are like loathsome food to me. “Oh that my request might come to pass, And that God would grant my longing! Would that God were willing to crush me, That He would loose His hand and cut me off! But it is still my consolation, And I rejoice in unsparing pain, That I have not denied the words of the Holy One. What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is my end, that I should endure? Is my strength the strength of stones, Or is my flesh bronze? Is it that my help is not within me, And that deliverance is driven from me? “For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend; So that he does not forsake the fear of the Almighty.

Job 6:1-14 New Century Version (NCV)

Then Job answered: “I wish my suffering could be weighed and my misery put on scales. My sadness would be heavier than the sand of the seas. No wonder my words seem careless. The arrows of the Almighty are in me; my spirit drinks in their poison; God’s terrors are gathered against me. A wild donkey does not bray when it has grass to eat, and an ox is quiet when it has feed. Tasteless food is not eaten without salt, and there is no flavor in the white of an egg. I refuse to touch it; such food makes me sick. “How I wish that I might have what I ask for and that God would give me what I hope for. How I wish God would crush me and reach out his hand to destroy me. Then I would have this comfort and be glad even in this unending pain, because I would know I did not reject the words of the Holy One. “I do not have the strength to wait. There is nothing to hope for, so why should I be patient? I do not have the strength of stone; my flesh is not bronze. I have no power to help myself, because success has been taken away from me. “They say, ‘A person’s friends should be kind to him when he is in trouble, even if he stops fearing the Almighty.’

Job 6:1-14 American Standard Version (ASV)

Then Job answered and said, Oh that my vexation were but weighed, And all my calamity laid in the balances! For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas: Therefore have my words been rash. For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, The poison whereof my spirit drinketh up: The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me. Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? Or loweth the ox over his fodder? Can that which hath no savor be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg? My soul refuseth to touch them; They are as loathsome food to me. Oh that I might have my request; And that God would grant me the thing that I long for! Even that it would please God to crush me; That he would let loose his hand, and cut me off! And be it still my consolation, Yea, let me exult in pain that spareth not, That I have not denied the words of the Holy One. What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is mine end, that I should be patient? Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh of brass? Is it not that I have no help in me, And that wisdom is driven quite from me? To him that is ready to faint kindness should be showed from his friend; Even to him that forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

Job 6:1-14 New International Version (NIV)

Then Job replied: “If only my anguish could be weighed and all my misery be placed on the scales! It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas— no wonder my words have been impetuous. The arrows of the Almighty are in me, my spirit drinks in their poison; God’s terrors are marshaled against me. Does a wild donkey bray when it has grass, or an ox bellow when it has fodder? Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the sap of the mallow? I refuse to touch it; such food makes me ill. “Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant what I hope for, that God would be willing to crush me, to let loose his hand and cut off my life! Then I would still have this consolation— my joy in unrelenting pain— that I had not denied the words of the Holy One. “What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What prospects, that I should be patient? Do I have the strength of stone? Is my flesh bronze? Do I have any power to help myself, now that success has been driven from me? “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

Job 6:1-14 New King James Version (NKJV)

Then Job answered and said: “Oh, that my grief were fully weighed, And my calamity laid with it on the scales! For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea— Therefore my words have been rash. For the arrows of the Almighty are within me; My spirit drinks in their poison; The terrors of God are arrayed against me. Does the wild donkey bray when it has grass, Or does the ox low over its fodder? Can flavorless food be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg? My soul refuses to touch them; They are as loathsome food to me. “Oh, that I might have my request, That God would grant me the thing that I long for! That it would please God to crush me, That He would loose His hand and cut me off! Then I would still have comfort; Though in anguish I would exult, He will not spare; For I have not concealed the words of the Holy One. “What strength do I have, that I should hope? And what is my end, that I should prolong my life? Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh bronze? Is my help not within me? And is success driven from me? “To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

Job 6:1-14 Amplified Bible (AMP)

Then Job answered and said, “Oh, that my grief could actually be weighed And placed in the balances together with my tragedy [to see if my grief is the grief of a coward]! “For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; Therefore my words have been incoherent, Because the arrows of the Almighty are within me, My spirit drinks their poison; The terrors of God are arrayed against me. “Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass? Or does the ox low over his fodder? “Can something that has no taste to it be eaten without salt? Or is there any flavor in the white of an egg? “My soul refuses to touch them; Such things are like loathsome food to me [sickening and repugnant]. ¶“Oh that my request would come to pass, And that God would grant me the thing that I long for! “I wish that it would please God to crush me, That He would let loose His hand and cut me off. “Then I would still have consolation, And I would jump for joy amid unsparing pain, That I have not denied or hidden the words of the Holy One. “What strength do I have left, that I should wait [and hope]? And what is ahead of me, that I should be patient and endure? “Is my strength and endurance that of stones, Or is my flesh made of bronze? “Is it that I have no help within myself, And that success and wisdom have been driven from me? ¶“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.

Job 6:1-14 New Living Translation (NLT)

Then Job spoke again: “If my misery could be weighed and my troubles be put on the scales, they would outweigh all the sands of the sea. That is why I spoke impulsively. For the Almighty has struck me down with his arrows. Their poison infects my spirit. God’s terrors are lined up against me. Don’t I have a right to complain? Don’t wild donkeys bray when they find no grass, and oxen bellow when they have no food? Don’t people complain about unsalted food? Does anyone want the tasteless white of an egg? My appetite disappears when I look at it; I gag at the thought of eating it! “Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant my desire. I wish he would crush me. I wish he would reach out his hand and kill me. At least I can take comfort in this: Despite the pain, I have not denied the words of the Holy One. But I don’t have the strength to endure. I have nothing to live for. Do I have the strength of a stone? Is my body made of bronze? No, I am utterly helpless, without any chance of success. “One should be kind to a fainting friend, but you accuse me without any fear of the Almighty.

Job 6:1-14 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)

Then Job answered and said: “Oh that my vexation were weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances! For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; therefore my words have been rash. For the arrows of the Almighty are in me; my spirit drinks their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me. Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass, or the ox low over his fodder? Can that which is tasteless be eaten without salt, or is there any taste in the juice of the mallow? My appetite refuses to touch them; they are as food that is loathsome to me. “Oh that I might have my request, and that God would fulfill my hope, that it would please God to crush me, that he would let loose his hand and cut me off! This would be my comfort; I would even exult in pain unsparing, for I have not denied the words of the Holy One. What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is my end, that I should be patient? Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh bronze? Have I any help in me, when resource is driven from me? “He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.