New American Standard Bible 1995 | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
1Then Job answered, | 1Then Job answered: |
2"Oh that my grief were actually weighed And laid in the balances together with my calamity! | 2If only my grief could be weighed and my devastation placed with it in the scales. |
3"For then it would be heavier than the sand of the seas; Therefore my words have been rash. | 3For then it would outweigh the sand of the seas! That is why my words are rash. |
4"For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, Their poison my spirit drinks; The terrors of God are arrayed against me. | 4Surely the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me; my spirit drinks their poison. God's terrors are arrayed against me. |
5"Does the wild donkey bray over his grass, Or does the ox low over his fodder? | 5Does a wild donkey bray over fresh grass or an ox low over its fodder? |
6"Can something tasteless be eaten without salt, Or is there any taste in the white of an egg? | 6Is bland food eaten without salt? Is there flavor in an egg white? |
7"My soul refuses to touch them; They are like loathsome food to me. | 7I refuse to touch them; they are like contaminated food. |
8"Oh that my request might come to pass, And that God would grant my longing! | 8If only my request would be granted and God would provide what I hope for: |
9"Would that God were willing to crush me, That He would loose His hand and cut me off! | 9that He would decide to crush me, to unleash His power and cut me off! |
10"But it is still my consolation, And I rejoice in unsparing pain, That I have not denied the words of the Holy One. | 10It would still bring me comfort, and I would leap for joy in unrelenting pain that I have not denied the words of the Holy One. |
11"What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is my end, that I should endure? | 11What strength do I have that I should continue to hope? What is my future, that I should be patient? |
12"Is my strength the strength of stones, Or is my flesh bronze? | 12Is my strength that of stone, or my flesh made of bronze? |
13"Is it that my help is not within me, And that deliverance is driven from me? | 13Since I cannot help myself, the hope for success has been banished from me. |
14"For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend; So that he does not forsake the fear of the Almighty. | 14A despairing man should receive loyalty from his friends, even if he abandons the fear of the Almighty. |
15"My brothers have acted deceitfully like a wadi, Like the torrents of wadis which vanish, | 15My brothers are as treacherous as a wadi, as seasonal streams that overflow |
16Which are turbid because of ice And into which the snow melts. | 16and become darkened because of ice, and the snow melts into them. |
17"When they become waterless, they are silent, When it is hot, they vanish from their place. | 17The wadis evaporate in warm weather; they disappear from their channels in hot weather. |
18"The paths of their course wind along, They go up into nothing and perish. | 18Caravans turn away from their routes, go up into the desert, and perish. |
19"The caravans of Tema looked, The travelers of Sheba hoped for them. | 19The caravans of Tema look for these streams. The traveling merchants of Sheba hope for them. |
20"They were disappointed for they had trusted, They came there and were confounded. | 20They are ashamed because they had been confident of finding water. When they arrive there, they are frustrated. |
21"Indeed, you have now become such, You see a terror and are afraid. | 21So this is what you have now become to me. When you see something dreadful, you are afraid. |
22"Have I said, 'Give me something,' Or, 'Offer a bribe for me from your wealth,' | 22Have I ever said: "Give me something" or "Pay 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 '? | 23or "Deliver me from the enemy's power" or "Redeem me from the grasp of the ruthless"? |
24"Teach me, and I will be silent; And show me how I have erred. | 24Teach me, and I will be silent. Help me understand what I did wrong. |
25"How painful are honest words! But what does your argument prove? | 25How painful honest words can be! But what does your rebuke prove? |
26"Do you intend to reprove my words, When the words of one in despair belong to the wind? | 26Do you think that you can disprove my words or that a despairing man's words are mere wind? |
27"You would even cast lots for the orphans And barter over your friend. | 27No doubt you would cast lots for a fatherless child and negotiate a price to sell your friend. |
28"Now please look at me, And see if I lie to your face. | 28But now, please look at me; would I lie to your face? |
29"Desist now, let there be no injustice; Even desist, my righteousness is yet in it. | 29Reconsider; don't be unjust. Reconsider; my righteousness is still the issue. |
30"Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my palate discern calamities? | 30Is there injustice on my tongue or can my palate not taste disaster? |
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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