Job's Second Speech: A Response To Eliphaz
3 For then its weight would be more than the sand of the seas: because of this my words have been uncontrolled.
3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.
3 For then it would outweigh the sand of the seas!That is why my words are rash.
3 It would weigh more than the sand on the seashore! Here's why I've talked so rashly:
4 For the arrows of the Ruler of all are present with me, and their poison goes deep into my spirit: his army of fears is put in order against me.
4 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.
4 “For the (C)arrows of the Almighty are within me,(b)Their (D)poison my spirit drinks;The (E)terrors of God are arrayed against me.
4 Surely the arrows of the Almighty have pierced(a) me;my spirit drinks their poison.God’s terrors are arrayed against me.(C)
4 "The arrows of the Almighty have pierced me; my spirit absorbs their poison; God's terrors have been arranged just for me!
5 Does the ass of the fields give out his voice when he has grass? or does the ox make sounds over his food?
5 Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?
5 Does a wild donkey bray over fresh grassor an ox low over its fodder?
5 "Will the wild donkey bray from hunger if fresh grass is beside him? Will the ox low from distress if it is near its feed?
8 If only I might have an answer to my prayer, and God would give me my desire!
8 Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
8 “Oh that my request might come to pass,And that God would grant my longing!
8 If only my request would be grantedand God would provide what I hope for:
8 "Who will grant my wish? I wish God would grant what I'm hoping for:
9 If only he would be pleased to put an end to me; and would let loose his hand, so that I might be cut off!
9 Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!
9 that He would decide to crush me,to unleash His power and cut me off!
9 that God would just be willing to crush me; that he would let loose and eliminate me!
10 So I would still have comfort, and I would have joy in the pains of death, for I have not been false to the words of the Holy One.
10 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.
10 “But it is still my consolation,And I rejoice in unsparing pain,That I (I)have not (d)denied the words of the Holy One.
10 It would still bring me comfort,and I would leap for joy in unrelenting painthat I have not denied(c) the words of the Holy One.(E)
10 At least I could still take comfort and rejoice in unceasing anguish, for I didn't conceal what the Holy One has to say.
11 Have I strength to go on waiting, or have I any end to be looking forward to?
11 What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?
11 What strength do I have that I should continue to hope?What is my future, that I should be patient?
11 "Do I have the strength to wait? And why should I be patient?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh brass?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?
12 “Is my strength the strength of stones,Or is my flesh bronze?
12 Is my strength that of stone,or my flesh made of bronze?
12 Am I as strong as a rock? Am I some kind of iron man?
13 I have no help in myself, and wisdom is completely gone from me.
13 Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?
13 Since I cannot help myself,the hope for success has been banished from me.
13 There is no help within me, is there? My resources have been driven away from me, haven't they?
You Have Not Treated Me Like True Friends
14 He whose heart is shut against his friend has given up the fear of the Ruler of all.
14 To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.
14 “For the (M)despairing man there should be kindness from his friend;So that he does not (N)forsake the (g)fear of the Almighty.
14 A despairing man should receive loyalty from his friends,(d)(F)even if he abandons the fear of the Almighty.
14 The friend shows gracious love for his friend, even if he has forsaken the fear of the Almighty.
15 My friends have been false like a stream, like streams in the valleys which come to an end:
15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;
15 “My brothers have acted (O)deceitfully like a (h)wadi,Like the torrents of (i)wadis which vanish,
15 My brothers are as treacherous as a wadi,as seasonal streams that overflow
15 But my brothers have acted treacherously like a cascading river, like torrential rivers that overflow.
17 Under the burning sun they are cut off, and come to nothing because of the heat.
17 What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.
17 The wadis evaporate in warm weather;they disappear from their channels in hot weather.
17 But then the snow melts, and they disappear; when warmed, they evaporate from their stream beds.
18 The camel-trains go out of their way; they go up into the waste and come to destruction.
18 The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.
18 Caravans turn away from their routes,go up into the desert, and perish.
18 Travelers divert in their route; they go into a wasteland and die.
19 The camel-trains of Tema were searching with care, the bands of Sheba were waiting for them:
19 The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.
19 The caravans of Tema look for these streams.The traveling merchants of Sheba hope for them.
19 Travelers from Tema search intently; caravans from Sheba hope to find them.
20 They were put to shame because of their hope; they came and their hope was gone.
20 They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.
20 They are ashamed because they had been confident of finding water.When they arrive there, they are frustrated.(G)
20 For all their expectations, they are doomed to disappointment; even though they have come and searched this far.
What Have I Done Wrong?
22 Did I say, Give me something? or, Make a payment for me out of your wealth?
22 Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?
22 “Have I said, ‘Give me something,’Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth,’
22 Have I ever said: “Give me something”or “Pay a bribe for me from your wealth”
22 When did I ever ask you for anything, say "Offer a bribe for me from your wealth?'
23 Or, Get me out of the power of my hater? or, Give money so that I may be free from the power of the cruel ones?
23 Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?
23 Or, ‘Deliver me from the hand of the adversary,’Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants’?
23 or “Deliver me from the enemy’s power”or “Redeem me from the grasp of the ruthless”?
23 or say "Deliver me from my enemy's control,' or "Redeem me from the domination of ruthless people'?"
24 Give me teaching and I will be quiet; and make me see my error.
24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
24 Teach me, and I will be silent.Help me understand what I did wrong.
24 "Instruct me, and I'll remain silent. Help me understand where I've gone astray.
25 How pleasing are upright words! but what force is there in your arguments?
25 How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?
25 “How painful are honest words!But what does your argument prove?
25 How painful honest words can be!But what does your rebuke prove?
25 The truth can be painful, but what has your argument proven?