Job
Chapter 6
Job answers Eliphaz. He says his grief is heavier than sand, that God's arrows are in him, and that he still wishes God would simply end his life. Then he turns on his friends: they are like desert streams that dry up just when thirsty travelers arrive. He asks them to look at him, prove where he has done wrong, and stop treating his desperate words as empty wind.
Plain reading written for preteens. Clear and complete, at about a fifth grade reading level.
But Job answered and said,
1Then Job answered:
2Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!
2"I wish someone would weigh my grief. I wish all my trouble could be piled on the scales beside it.
3For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.
3It would weigh more than all the sand of the sea. That is why my words come out wild.
4For 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.
4The arrows of the Almighty are stuck in me, and my spirit drinks their poison. God's terrors are lined up against me like an army.
5Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?
5Does a wild donkey bray when it has grass to eat? Does an ox bellow when its food is there?
6Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
6Can you eat food with no flavor unless you add salt? Is there any taste in the white of an egg?
7The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.
7The things I once refused even to touch are now the miserable food I live on.
"Meat" in the King James Bible means food of any kind, not just meat from animals.
8Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
8I wish I could have what I ask for. I wish God would give me the one thing I want.
9Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!
9I want God to be willing to crush me. I want him to let his hand go and cut me off.
10Then 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.
10That would still be a comfort to me. Even in pain that never stops, I would hold firm. Let him not hold back. I have never hidden the words of the Holy One.
11What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?
11What strength do I have left, that I should keep hoping? What is coming for me, that I should drag my life out?
12Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?
12Is my strength the strength of stones? Is my body made of bronze?
13Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?
13Is there any help left inside me? Has every bit of wisdom been driven out of me?
14To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.
14A man who is suffering should be treated kindly by his friend, even if he turns away from fearing the Almighty.
15My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;
15But my brothers have let me down like a desert stream. They are like water that runs off and is gone.
Job is describing a wadi, a streambed in dry country. It fills with water when snow melts, then dries up completely in summer. Travelers who counted on finding water there arrive and find only dust.
16Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:
16In the cold season those streams run dark with ice, and snow lies hidden in them.
17What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.
17But when the warm weather comes, they shrink away. When the heat arrives, they vanish from their beds.
18The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.
18Traveling groups turn off their road to look for that water. They wander into empty land and die there.
19The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.
19The caravans of Tema looked for water. The travelers of Sheba hoped to find it.
20They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.
20They were let down, because they had counted on it. They arrived, and there was nothing.
21For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.
21That is what you are to me now: nothing. You see how far I have fallen, and it frightens you.
22Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?
22Did I ever say to you, 'Give me something'? Did I ask you to pay someone out of your own money for me?
23Or, Deliver me from the enemy’s hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?
23Did I say, 'Rescue me from my enemy'? Did I say, 'Buy me back from cruel men'?
24Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
24Teach me, and I will be quiet. Make me understand where I went wrong.
25How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?
25Honest words have real force. But what does your arguing actually prove?
26Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?
26Do you plan to pick apart my words? Do you treat the cries of a desperate man as nothing but wind?
27Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.
27You would even take advantage of a child who has no father. You would dig a pit to trap your own friend.
28Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie.
28So please, be still and look right at me. You would be able to see it if I were lying.
29Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.
29Think again, please, and do not be unfair to me. Think again, because I am in the right here.
"Return" here does not mean go back somewhere. It means think it over again and change your mind.
30Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?
30Is there anything false on my tongue? Can my mouth not tell when something is evil?
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