Job’s Friends Are No Help

1Then Job responded,

2“Oh if only my grief were actually weighed

And laid in the balances together with my disaster!

3“For then it would be heavier than the sand of the seas;

For that reason my words have been rash.

4“For the arrows of the Almighty are within me,

[a]My spirit drinks their poison;

The terrors of God line up against me.

5“Does the wild donkey bray over his grass,

Or does the ox low over his feed?

6“Can something tasteless be eaten without salt,

Or is there any taste in the [b]juice of an alkanet plant?

7“My soul refuses to touch them;

They are like loathsome food to me.

8“Oh, that my request might come to pass,

And that God would grant my hope!

9“Oh, that God would decide to crush me,

That He would let loose His hand and cut me off!

10“But it is still my comfort,

And I rejoice in unsparing pain,

That I have not [c]denied the words of the Holy One.

11“What is my strength, that I should wait?

And what is my end, that I should [d]endure?

12“Is my strength the strength of stones,

Or is my flesh bronze?

13“Is it that my help is not within me,

And that a good outcome is driven away from me?

14“For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend;

So that he does not abandon the [e]fear of the Almighty.

15“My brothers have acted deceitfully like a [f]wadi,

Like the torrents of [g]wadis which drain away,

16Which are darkened because of ice,

And into which the snow [h]melts.

17“When they dry up, they vanish;

When it is hot, they disappear from their place.

18“The [i]paths of their course wind along,

They go up into wasteland and perish.

19“The caravans of Tema looked,

The travelers of Sheba hoped for them.

20“They were put to shame, for they had trusted,

They came there and were humiliated.

21“Indeed, you have now become such,

You see terrors and are afraid.

22“Have I said, ‘Give me something,’

Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth,’

23Or, ‘Save me from the hand of the enemy,’

Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants’?

24“Teach me, and I will be silent;

And show me how I have done wrong.

25“How painful are honest words!

But what does your argument prove?

26“Do you intend to rebuke my words,

When the words of one in despair belong to the wind?

27“You would even cast lots for the orphans,

And barter over your friend.

28“Now please look at me,

And see if I am lying to your face.

29“Please turn away, let there be no injustice;

Turn away, my righteousness is still in it.

30“Is there injustice on my tongue?

Does my palate not discern disasters?