Job's Sixth Speech: A Response To Bildad

1 Then Job answered and said,

1 Then Job (a)responded,

1 Then Job answered and said,

1 Then Job answered:

1 In response, Job said:

2 How long will you torment my soul, and break me in pieces with words?

2 “How long will you torment (b)meAnd crush me with words?

2 How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?

2 How long will you torment meand crush me with words?

2 "How long do you intend to keep torturing me and trying to break me by what you're saying?

3 These ten times have you reproached me: you are not ashamed that you have wronged me.

3 “These ten times you have insulted me;You are not ashamed to wrong me.

3 These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.

3 You have humiliated me ten times now,and you mistreat(a) me without shame.(A)

3 Ten times you've tried to humiliate me! You're not ashamed to wrong me!

4 And if indeed I have erred, my error remains with myself.

4 “Even if I have truly erred,My error lodges with me.

4 And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.

4 Even if it is true that I have sinned,my mistake concerns only(b) me.

4 Even if it's true that I've erred, my error only affects me.

5 If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:

5 “If indeed you (A)vaunt yourselves against meAnd prove my disgrace to me,

5 If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:

5 If you really want to appear superior(B) to meand would use my disgrace as evidence against me,

5 If you really intend to vaunt yourselves over me, and make my problems the basis of your case against me,

6 Know now that God has overthrown me, and has compassed me with his net.

6 Know then that (B)God has wronged meAnd has closed (C)His net around me.

6 Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.

6 then understand that it is God who has wronged meand caught me in His net.(C)

6 then at least you must know that God has accused me of wrong, and trapped me with his net."

7 Behold, I cry out concerning wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no justice.

7 “Behold, (D)I cry, ‘Violence!’ but I get no answer;I shout for help, but there is no justice.

7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.

7 I cry out: “Violence!” but get no response;(D)I call for help, but there is no justice.

7 "Although I cried out "Violence!' I received no answer; I cried for help, but there was no justice.

What God Has Done To Me

8 He has fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness in my paths.

8 “He has (E)walled up my way so that I cannot pass,And He has put (F)darkness on my paths.

8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.

8 He has blocked(E) my way so that I cannot pass through;He has veiled my paths with darkness.(F)

8 He blocked my path, so I cannot pass; and he turned out the lights on my pathways.

9 He has stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.

9 “He has (G)stripped my honor from meAnd removed the (H)crown from my head.

9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.

9 He has stripped me of my honorand removed the crown from my head.

9 "He has stripped me of my honor; he has stolen the crown off my head!

10 He has destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and my hope has he removed like a tree.

10 “He (I)breaks me down on every side, and I am gone;And He has uprooted my (J)hope (K)like a tree.

10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.

10 He tears me down on every side so that I am ruined.(c)He uproots my hope like a tree.(G)

10 He is breaking me down on every side, and now it's too late for me; he has uprooted my hopes like a tree.

11 He has also kindled his wrath against me, and he counts me unto him as one of his enemies.

11 “He has also (L)kindled His anger against meAnd (M)considered me as His enemy.

11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.

11 His anger(H) burns against me,and He regards me as one of His enemies.(I)

11 His anger burns against me; he regards me as his adversary.

12 His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tent.

12 “His (N)troops come together,And (O)build up their (c)way against meAnd camp around my tent.

12 His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.

12 His troops advance together;they construct a ramp(d) against meand camp(J) around my tent.

12 His troops march in a column against me, erecting their siege ramps against me; they surround my tent."

I Am Forgotten

13 He has put my brethren far from me, and my acquaintances are wholly estranged from me.

13 “He has (P)removed my brothers far from me,And my (Q)acquaintances are completely estranged from me.

13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.

13 He has removed my brothers from me;my acquaintances have abandoned me.(K)

13 "My brothers are alienated from me; my acquaintances are estranged;

14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my close friends have forgotten me.

14 “My relatives have failed,And my (R)intimate friends have forgotten me.

14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.

14 My relatives stop coming by,and my close friends have forgotten me.

14 my relatives have failed me; and my friends have abandoned me.

15 They that dwell in my house, and my maidservants, count me as a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.

15 “Those who live in my house and my maids consider me a stranger.I am a foreigner in their sight.

15 They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.

15 My house guests(e) and female servants regard me as a stranger;I am a foreigner in their sight.(L)

15 Those who live in my house and my maidservants, too! treat me like a stranger; they think I'm a foreigner.

16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I entreated him with my mouth.

16 “I call to my servant, but he does not answer;I have to implore him with my mouth.

16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth.

16 I call for my servant, but he does not answer,even if I beg him with my own mouth.

16 "I call to my servant, but he doesn't respond, even though I beg to him earnestly.

17 My breath is repulsive to my wife, though I make supplication for the children of my own body.

17 “My breath is (d)offensive to my wife,And I am loathsome to my own brothers.

17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body.

17 My breath is offensive to my wife,and my own family(f) finds me repulsive.

17 My wife says my breath stinks; even my children say I smell bad!

18 Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spoke against me.

18 “Even young children despise me;I rise up and they speak against me.

18 Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me.

18 Even young boys scorn me.When I stand up, they mock me.(M)

18 Even little children hate me; when I get up, they mock me.

19 All my close friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved have turned against me.

19 “All (e)my (S)associates abhor me,And those I love have turned against me.

19 All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.

19 All of my best friends(g) despise me,(N)and those I love have turned against me.(O)

19 My closest friends detest me; even the ones I love have turned against me.

20 My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.

20 “My (T)bone clings to my skin and my flesh,And I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.

20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.

20 My skin and my flesh cling to my bones;I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.

20 I'm a pile of skin and bones; I have barely escaped by the skin of my teeth."

21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O you my friends; for the hand of God has touched me.

21 “Pity me, pity me, O you my friends,For the (U)hand of God has struck me.

21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.

21 Have mercy on me, my friends,(P) have mercy,for God’s hand(Q) has struck me.(R)

21 "Be gracious to me, be gracious to me, my friends, because God's hand has struck me.

22 Why do you persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?

22 “Why do you (V)persecute me as God does,And are not satisfied with my flesh?

22 Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?

22 Why do you persecute me as God does?Will you never get enough of my flesh?

22 Why are you chasing me, as God has been doing? Aren't you satisfied that I'm sick?

Job's Confidence In His Defender

23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!

23 “Oh that my words were written!Oh that they were (W)inscribed in a book!

23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!

23 I wish that my words were written down,that they were recorded on a scroll

23 If only my words were written down; if only they were inscribed in a book

24 That they were engraved with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever!

24 “That with an iron stylus and leadThey were engraved in the rock forever!

24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!

24 or were inscribed in stone foreverby an iron stylus and lead!

24 using an iron stylus with lead for ink! Then they'd be engraved in rock forever.

25 For I know that my redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

25 “As for me, I know that (X)my (f)Redeemer lives,And (g)at the last He will take His stand on the (h)earth.

25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

25 But I know my living Redeemer,(h)(S)and He will stand on the dust(i) at last.(j)(T)

25 "As for me, I know that my Vindicator is alive; And he, the Last One, will take his stand on the soil.

26 And though after my skin is thus destroyed, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

26 “Even after my skin (i)is destroyed,Yet from my flesh I shall (Y)see God;

26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

26 Even after my skin has been destroyed,(k)yet I will see God in(l) my flesh.(U)

26 Even after my skin has been destroyed, clothed in my flesh I will see God,

27 Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another; though my heart be consumed within me.

27 Whom I (j)myself shall behold,And whom my eyes will see and not another.My (k)heart (Z)faints (l)within me!

27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

27 I will see Him myself;my eyes will look at Him, and not as a stranger.(m)My heart longs(n) within me.(V)

27 whom I will see for myself. My own eyes will look at him there won't be anyone else for me! He is the culmination of my innermost desire."

Job Warns His Friends

28 But you should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?

28 “If you say, ‘How shall we (AA)persecute him?’And ‘(m)What pretext for a case against him can we find?’

28 But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?

28 If you say, “How will we pursue him,since the root of the problem lies with him?”(o)

28 "When you're thinking about asking yourselves, "How will we pursue him, since the root of the problem is with him?'

29 Be yourselves afraid of the sword: for wrath brings the punishment of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment.

29 “Then be afraid of (AB)the sword for yourselves,For wrath brings the punishment of the sword,So that you may know (AC)there is judgment.”

29 Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.

29 then be afraid of the sword,because wrath brings punishment by the sword,(W)so that you may know there is a judgment.

29 Make sure that you remain wary of God's sword, for God's wrath brings with it the sword of punishment, by which you'll know there's a judgment."

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

King James Version Public Domain

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 http://www.lockman.org