Job 6:1-30 - Job's Second Speech: A Response To Eliphaz

¹ Job answered, and said, "Oh that my misery were weighed, and my punishment laid in the balances: ² For then should it be heavier than the sand of the sea. ³ This is the cause, that my words are so sorrowful. ⁴ For the arrows of the almighty are in me, whose indignation hath drunk up my spirit, and the terrible fears of God fight against me. ⁵ Doth the wild ass roar when he hath grass? Or crieth the ox, when he hath fodder enough? ⁶ That which is unsavory, shalt it be eaten without salt, or is there any taste in the white of an egg? ⁷ The things that sometime I might not away withal, are now my meat for very sorrow.

⁸ "O that I might have my desire! O that God would grant me the thing, that I long for! ⁹ That he would begin and smite me: that he would let his hand go, and hew me down. ¹⁰ Then should I have some comfort: yea, I would desire him in my pain, that he should not spare, for I will not be against the words of the holy one.

¹¹ What power have I to endure? Or, what is mine end, that my soul might be patient? ¹² Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh made of brass? ¹³ Am I able to help my self? Is not my strength gone from me,

¹⁴ like as if one withdrew a good deed from his friend, and forsook the fear of the Almighty God? ¹⁵ Mine own brethren pass over by me, as the water brook that hastily runneth through the valleys. ¹⁶ But they that fear the hoarfrost, the snow shall fall upon them. ¹⁷ When their time cometh, they shall be destroyed and perish: and when they be set on fire, they shall be removed out of their place, ¹⁸ for the paths that they go in are crooked: they haste after vain things, and shall perish. ¹⁹ Consider the paths of Tema, and the ways of Sheba, wherein they have put their trust. ²⁰ Confounded are they that put any confidence in them: For when they came to obtain the things that they looked for, they were brought to confusion. ²¹ Even so are ye also come unto me: but now that ye see my misery, ye are afraid. ²² "Did I desire you to come hither? Or to give me any of your substance? ²³ To deliver me from the enemy's hand, or to save me from the power of the mighty?

²⁴ Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and wherein I have erred, cause me to understand. ²⁵ How steadfast are the words of truth! And which of you can rebuke or reprove them? ²⁶ Do ye take deliberacy to check men's sayings, and judge a poor word spoken in vain? ²⁷ Ye fall upon the fatherless, and go about to overthrow your own friend.

²⁸ Wherefore look not only upon me, but upon yourselves: whether I lie, or no. ²⁹ Turn into your own selves, I pray you: be indifferent judges, and consider my guiltlessness: ³⁰ whether there be any unrighteousness in my tongue, or vain words in my mouth.

¹ Is not the life of man upon earth a very battle? Are not his days like the days of a hired servant? ² For like as a bond servant desireth the shadow, and as a hireling would fain have an end of his work: ³ Even so have I laboured whole months long - but in vain - and many a careful night have I told. ⁴ When I laid me down to sleep, I said, 'O when shall I rise?' Again, I longed sore for the night. Thus am I full of sorrow, till it be dark. ⁵ My flesh is clothed with worms, filthiness and dust; my skin is withered, and crumpled together;

⁶ my days pass over more speedily than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope. ⁷ "O remember that my life is but a wind, and that mine eye shall no more see the pleasures thereof; ⁸ yea, and that none other man's eye shall see me anymore. ⁹ For if thou fasten thine eyes upon me, I come to naught like as a cloud is consumed and vanisheth away. Even so, he that goeth down to hell, cometh no more up, ¹⁰ nor turneth again into his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

¹¹ Therefore I will not spare my mouth, but will speak in the trouble of my spirit; in that bitterness of my mind will I talk. ¹² Am I a sea, or a whalefish, that thou keepest me so in prison? ¹³ When I think, 'My bed shall comfort me; I shall have some refreshing by talking to myself upon my couch,' ¹⁴ then troublest thou me with dreams - and makest me so afraid through visions ¹⁵ that my soul wisheth rather to be strangled, and my bones to be dead. ¹⁶ I can see no remedy. I shall live no more. O spare me then, for my days are but vain.

¹⁷ "What is man, that thou dost magnify him? And that thou settest thy heart upon him? ¹⁸ Thou visitest him early, and every day: and suddenly doest thou try him. ¹⁹ Why goest thou not from me, nor lettest me alone, so long till I swallow down my spittle? ²⁰ I have offended; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? Why hast thou made me to stand in thy way, and am so heavy a burden unto myself? ²¹ Why dost thou not forgive my sin? Wherefore takest thou not away my wickedness? Behold, now must I sleep in the dust: And if thou seekest me tomorrow in the morning, I shall be gone."