Job 6

₂‘If I could put all my suffering

on a balance-scale and weigh it,

₃it would be heavier

than all the sand of the sea.

That is why my words seem wild to you.

₄Because the arrows

of the Almighty God are in me,

the poison of his arrows are in my body.

God has made me fear.

₅A wild donkey does not complain

when he has grass to eat,

and an ox is quiet when he is eating his food.

₆People don't eat food without salt.

The white of an egg does not taste good.

₇I would not eat it. Food like this makes me sick.’

₈‘I wish that God would

give me what I ask Him for,

and I wish He would do what I want Him to do.

₉I want God to decide to trample me.

He must put out his hand and kill me.

₁₀Then I would be satisfied,

even if my pain continued.

I would know that I had not said “no”

when the holy God told me what to do.

₁₁Where will I get the power to stay alive?

How can I keep on living

until my time has come to die?

₁₂I am not as hard as a stone,

and my body is not made of bronze.

₁₃I have no power, and I can not help myself.’

₁₄‘If someone has many problems,

his friends should help him.

If they don't help him then they show that

they do not respect the Almighty God.

₁₅My friends are unfaithful.

They are like a water channel

which does not have water.

₁₆When the ice and snow melt,

the water flows,

₁₇but when it gets hot,

there is no water that flows

and the channel is dry.

₁₈People who walk past

go to the channel to get water,

but they don't get any water

and they die of thirst.

₁₉Merchants from the lands

of Tema and Sheba go to the channel

hoping to get water,

₂₀but they stay thirsty.

They came looking for water,

but they found nothing.

₂₁You are the same.

You are like those channels

that can not help me.

When you see how much I suffer,

you become afraid.

₂₂Is it because I have asked you

to give me something?

Did I ask you to give me

bribe money to make me free?

₂₃Did I ask you to help me

escape from an enemy?

Did I ask you to save me

from cruel people? No I didn't.’

₂₄‘You must tell me what I must do,

and then I will keep quiet.

I want to know what I have done wrong.

You must tell me.

₂₅When people speak the truth,

it often hurts, but the things

that you say to me are worthless.

₂₆Do you want to say

that my words are wrong?

Don't you want to listen to

a tired man who has lots of troubles?

₂₇You will even draw_lots

to get an orphan

and you will sell your friend.

₂₈Look into my eyes. I will not lie to you.

₂₉Please stop accusing me.

I have always done right.

₃₀I did not say anything wrong.

I know what is right and what is wrong.’