Job

¹ Then Job replied:

² and all my misery be placed on the scales!

³ no wonder my words have been impetuous.

⁴ my spirit drinks in their poison; God’s terrors are marshaled against me.

⁵ or an ox bellow when it has fodder?

⁶ or is there flavor in the white of an egg?

⁷ such food makes me ill.

⁸ that God would grant what I hope for,

⁹ to let loose his hand and cut me off!

¹⁰ my joy in unrelenting pain— that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.

¹¹ What prospects, that I should be patient?

¹² Is my flesh bronze?

¹³ now that success has been driven from me?

¹⁴ even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

¹⁵ as the streams that overflow

¹⁶ and swollen with melting snow,

¹⁷ and in the heat vanish from their channels.

¹⁸ they go up into the wasteland and perish.

¹⁹ the traveling merchants of Sheba look in hope.

²⁰ they arrive there, only to be disappointed.

²¹ you see something dreadful and are afraid.

²² pay a ransom for me from your wealth,

²³ ransom me from the clutches of the ruthless’?

²⁴ show me where I have been wrong.

²⁵ But what do your arguments prove?

²⁶ and treat the words of a despairing man as wind?

²⁷ and barter away your friend.

²⁸ Would I lie to your face?

²⁹ reconsider, for my integrity is at stake.

³⁰ Can my mouth not discern malice?