Then Job 1answered
,
" aOh that my grief
were actually
weighed
And laid
in the balances
together
with my calamity
!
"For then it would be aheavier
than
the sand
of the seas
; Therefore
my words
have been
rash
.
"For the aarrows of the Almighty
are within
me, 1Their bpoison
my spirit
drinks
; The cterrors
of God
are arrayed
against me.
"Does the awild 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 1white
of an egg
?
"My soul arefuses
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 awilling
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 ahave not 1denied
the words
of the Holy
One
.
"What is my strength
, that I should wait
? And what
is my end
, that I should 1 aendure
?
"Is my strength the strength
of stones
, Or
is my flesh
bronze
?
"Is it that my ahelp is not within me, And that 1 bdeliverance
is driven
from me?
"For the adespairing man
there should be kindness
from his friend
; So that he does not bforsake
the 1fear
of the Almighty
.
"My brothers have acted
adeceitfully
like
a 1wadi
, Like the torrents
of 1wadis
which vanish
,
Which are turbid because
of ice
And into which the snow
1melts
.
"When athey become
waterless
, they 1are silent
, When it is hot
, they vanish
from their place
.
"The 1paths of their course
wind
along
, They go
up into nothing
and perish
.
"The caravans of aTema
looked
, The travelers
of bSheba
hoped
for them.
"They awere 1disappointed for they had trusted
, They came
there
and were confounded
.
"Indeed, you have now
become
such
, aYou see
a terror
and are afraid
.
"Have I said, `Give
me something,' Or, `Offer
a bribe
for me from your wealth
,'
Or, `Deliver me from the hand
of the adversary
,' Or, `Redeem
me from the hand
of the tyrants
'?
"Teach me, and aI will be silent
; And show
me how
I have erred
.
"How painful
are honest
words
! But what
does your argument
prove
?
"Do you intend to reprove
my words
, When the awords
of one in despair
belong to the wind
?
"You would even acast
lots for bthe orphans
And cbarter
over
your friend
.
"Now please
look
at me, And see if
I alie
to your face
.
"Desist now
, let there be no
injustice
; Even desist
, amy righteousness
is yet
in it.
"Is there injustice
on my tongue
? Cannot
amy palate
discern
1calamities
?