| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then Job answered and said: | 1Then Job answered: |
| 2“Oh, that my grief were fully weighed, And my calamity laid with it on the scales! | 2If only my grief could be weighed and my devastation placed with it in the scales. |
| 3For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea— Therefore my words have been rash. | 3For then it would outweigh the sand of the seas! That is why my words are rash. |
| 4For the arrows of the Almighty are within me; My spirit drinks in their poison; The terrors of God are arrayed against me. | 4Surely the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me; my spirit drinks their poison. God's terrors are arrayed against me. |
| 5Does the wild donkey bray when it has grass, Or does the ox low over its fodder? | 5Does a wild donkey bray over fresh grass or an ox low over its fodder? |
| 6Can flavorless food be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg? | 6Is bland food eaten without salt? Is there flavor in an egg white? |
| 7My soul refuses to touch them; They are as loathsome food to me. | 7I refuse to touch them; they are like contaminated food. |
| 8“Oh, that I might have my request, That God would grant me the thing that I long for! | 8If only my request would be granted and God would provide what I hope for: |
| 9That it would please God to crush me, That He would loose His hand and cut me off! | 9that He would decide to crush me, to unleash His power and cut me off! |
| 10Then I would still have comfort; Though in anguish I would exult, He will not spare; For I have not concealed the words of the Holy One. | 10It would still bring me comfort, and I would leap for joy in unrelenting pain that I have not denied the words of the Holy One. |
| 11“What strength do I have, that I should hope? And what is my end, that I should prolong my life? | 11What strength do I have that I should continue to hope? What is my future, that I should be patient? |
| 12Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh bronze? | 12Is my strength that of stone, or my flesh made of bronze? |
| 13Is my help not within me? And is success driven from me? | 13Since I cannot help myself, the hope for success has been banished from me. |
| 14“To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. | 14A despairing man should receive loyalty from his friends, even if he abandons the fear of the Almighty. |
| 15My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook, Like the streams of the brooks that pass away, | 15My brothers are as treacherous as a wadi, as seasonal streams that overflow |
| 16Which are dark because of the ice, And into which the snow vanishes. | 16and become darkened because of ice, and the snow melts into them. |
| 17When it is warm, they cease to flow; When it is hot, they vanish from their place. | 17The wadis evaporate in warm weather; they disappear from their channels in hot weather. |
| 18The paths of their way turn aside, They go nowhere and perish. | 18Caravans turn away from their routes, go up into the desert, and perish. |
| 19The caravans of Tema look, The travelers of Sheba hope for them. | 19The caravans of Tema look for these streams. The traveling merchants of Sheba hope for them. |
| 20They are disappointed because they were confident; They come there and are confused. | 20They are ashamed because they had been confident of finding water. When they arrive there, they are frustrated. |
| 21For now you are nothing, You see terror and are afraid. | 21So this is what you have now become to me. When you see something dreadful, you are afraid. |
| 22Did I ever say, ‘Bring something to me’? Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’? | 22Have I ever said: "Give me something" or "Pay a bribe for me from your wealth" |
| 23Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand’? Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of oppressors’? | 23or "Deliver me from the enemy's power" or "Redeem me from the grasp of the ruthless"? |
| 24“Teach me, and I will hold my tongue; Cause me to understand wherein I have erred. | 24Teach me, and I will be silent. Help me understand what I did wrong. |
| 25How forceful are right words! But what does your arguing prove? | 25How painful honest words can be! But what does your rebuke prove? |
| 26Do you intend to rebuke my words, And the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind? | 26Do you think that you can disprove my words or that a despairing man's words are mere wind? |
| 27Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless, And you undermine your friend. | 27No doubt you would cast lots for a fatherless child and negotiate a price to sell your friend. |
| 28Now therefore, be pleased to look at me; For I would never lie to your face. | 28But now, please look at me; would I lie to your face? |
| 29Yield now, let there be no injustice! Yes, concede, my righteousness still stands! | 29Reconsider; don't be unjust. Reconsider; my righteousness is still the issue. |
| 30Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern the unsavory? | 30Is there injustice on my tongue or can my palate not taste disaster? |
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