Online Bible

Job’s Friends Are No Help

Then Job answered and said,

2 “^aOh, that my grief could actually be weighedAnd placed in the balances together with my tragedy to see if my grief is the grief of a coward!3 “For now it would be ^aheavier than the sand of the sea;Therefore my words have been incoherent,4 Because the ^aarrows of the Almighty are within me,My spirit drinks their ^bpoison;The ^cterrors of God are arrayed against me.5 “Does the ^awild donkey bray when he has grass?Or does the ox low over his fodder?6 “Can something that has no taste to it be eaten without salt?Or is there any flavor in the white of an egg?7 “My soul ^arefuses to touch them;Such things are like loathsome food to me sickening and repugnant.

8 “Oh that my request would come to pass,And that God would grant me the thing that I long for!9 “I wish that it would please God ^ato crush me,That He would let loose His hand and cut me off.10 “Then I would still have consolation,And I would jump for joy amid unsparing pain,That I ^ahave not denied or hidden the words of the Holy One.11 “What strength do I have left, that I should wait and hope?And what is ahead of me, that I should be ^apatient and endure?12 “Is my strength and endurance that of stones,Or is my flesh made of bronze?13 “Is it that I have ^ano help within myself,And that ^bsuccess and wisdom have been driven from me?

14 “For the ^adespairing man there should be kindness from his friend;So that he does not ¹^babandon (turn away from) the fear of the Almighty.15 “My brothers have acted ^adeceitfully like a brook,Like the torrents of brooks that vanish,16 Which are dull and dirty because of ice,And into which the snow melts and hides itself;17 When ^ait is warm, they are silent and cease to flow;When it is hot, they vanish from their place.18 “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.19 “The caravans of ¹^aTema looked for water,The caravans of ²^bSheba waited for them in vain.20 “They ^awere put to shame and disappointed because they had trusted that they would find water;They came there and were ashamed.21 “Indeed, you have now become like a dried-up stream,^aYou see a terror believing me to be a victim of the wrath of God and are afraid to be compassionate.22 “Did I ever say, ‘Give me something,’Or, ‘Pay a bribe for me from your wealth,’23 Or, ‘Rescue me from the adversary’s hand,’Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants’?

24 “Teach me, and ^aI will be silent;And show me how I have erred.25 “How painful are words of honesty.But what does your argument prove?26 “Do you intend to reprove my words with a convincing argument,When the ^awords of one in despair belong to the wind and go ignored?27 “You would ^acast lots (gamble) over ^bthe fatherlessAnd ^cbargain away your friend.28 “Now please look at me,And see if I ^alie to your face for you know that I would not.29 “Turn away from your suspicion, let there be no injustice;Turn away, ^amy righteousness and vindication is still in it.30 “Is there injustice or malice on my tongue?Can ^amy palate not discern what is destructive?

Job’s Friends Are No Help

Then Job ¹answered,

2 “^aOh that my grief were actually weighedAnd laid in the balances together with my calamity!3 “For then it would be ^aheavier than the sand of the seas;Therefore my words have been rash.4 “For the ^aarrows of the Almighty are within me,¹Their ^bpoison my spirit drinks;The ^cterrors of God are arrayed against me.5 “Does the ^awild donkey bray over his grass,Or does the ox low over his fodder?6 “Can something tasteless be eaten without salt,Or is there any taste in the white of an ¹egg?7 “My soul ^arefuses 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!9 “Would that God were ^awilling to crush me,That He would loose His hand and cut me off!10 “But it is still my consolation,And I rejoice in unsparing pain,That I ^ahave not ¹denied the words of the Holy One.11 “What is my strength, that I should wait?And what is my end, that I should ¹^aendure?12 “Is my strength the strength of stones,Or is my flesh bronze?13 “Is it that my ^ahelp is not within me,And that ¹^bdeliverance is driven from me?

14 “For the ^adespairing man there should be kindness from his friend;So that he does not ^bforsake the ¹fear of the Almighty.15 “My brothers have acted ^adeceitfully like a ¹wadi,Like the torrents of ²wadis which vanish,16 Which are turbid because of iceAnd into which the snow ¹melts.17 “When ^athey become waterless, they ¹are silent,When it is hot, they vanish from their place.18 “The ¹paths of their course wind along,They go up into nothing and perish.19 “The caravans of ^aTema looked,The travelers of ^bSheba hoped for them.20 “They ^awere ¹disappointed for they had trusted,They came there and were confounded.21 “Indeed, you have now become such,^aYou see a terror and are afraid.22 “Have I said, ‘Give me something,’Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth,’23 Or, ‘Deliver me from the hand of the adversary,’Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants’?

24 “Teach me, and ^aI will be silent;And show me how I have erred.25 “How painful are honest words!But what does your argument prove?26 “Do you intend to reprove my words,When the ^awords of one in despair belong to the wind?27 “You would even ^acast lots for ^bthe orphansAnd ^cbarter over your friend.28 “Now please look at me,And see if I ^alie to your face.29 “Desist now, let there be no injustice;Even desist, ^amy righteousness is yet in it.30 “Is there injustice on my tongue?Cannot ^amy palate discern ¹calamities?