1 And Job answered and said,
2 Oh that my grief were but weighed, and my ruin laid in the balances together!
3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; therefore my words have been rash.
4 For the arrows of the Almighty [are] within me, their fury [is] drinking my spirit; the terrors of God are set against me.
5 Does the wild ass bray [when he has] grass? Or does the ox low over his fodder?
6 Can that which has no taste be eaten without salt? Or is there taste in the white of an egg?
7 My soul refuses to touch them; they [are] sickening food to me.
8 Oh that I might have my desire, and that God would grant the thing that I long for!
9 Even that it would please God to destroy me; that He would loose His hand and cut me off!
10 And it is yet my comfort; yea, I would rejoice in pain, though He did not spare me; for I have not hidden the words of the Holy One.
11 What [is] my strength, that I should hope? And what [is] my end, that I should be patient?
12 [Is] my strength the strength of stones? Or [is] my flesh bronze?
13 [Is] not my help in me? And is wisdom fully driven away from me?
14 To him who is afflicted, pity is [due] from his friend, but he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15 My brothers have dealt deceitfully as a torrent; they pass away as the streams of torrents,
16 [torrents] black from ice, in which the snow hides itself.
17 When they become warm, they go away; when it is hot, they vanish out of their place.
18 The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing and are lost.
19 The troops of Tema looked; the companies of Sheba hoped for them.
20 They were ashamed because they had hoped; they came there and were ashamed.
21 Surely now you are like them; you see [my] casting down, and are afraid.
22 Did I say, Give to me? or, Offer a bribe for me from your wealth;
23 or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand; or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?
24 Teach me, and I will be silent; and cause me to understand where I have gone astray.
25 Right words are powerful, but what does your arguing argue?
26 Do you intend to criticize words, and the speeches of one who is hopeless, [that are] as wind?
27 Yea, you cause [anger] to fall on the fatherless, and you dig [a pit] for your friend.
28 And now, please look on me; for if I lie, [it is] before your face.
29 Turn back, please let there be no sin; yea, return again, my righteousness [is] in this matter.
30 Is there wrong in my tongue? Cannot my taste discern desirable things?