Job Responds: Crush Me God

¹Then Job answered,

²“Oh that my anguish were weighed-weighed,

and all my misfortune laid in the scales!

³For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas,

therefore my words have been rash.

⁴For the arrows of the Almighty are within me.

My spirit drinks up their poison.

The terrors of God set themselves in array against me.

⁵Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass?

Or does the ox low over his fodder?

⁶Can that which has no flavor be eaten without salt?

Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

⁷My soul refuses to touch them.

They are as loathsome food to me.

⁸“Oh that I might have my request,

that God would grant the thing that I long for,

⁹even that it would please God to crush me;

that ʜᴇ would let loose ʜɪꜱ hand and cut me off!

¹⁰Let it still be my consolation,

yes, let me exult in pain that doesn’t spare,

that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

¹¹What is my strength, that I should wait?

What is my end, that I should be patient?

¹²Is my strength the strength of stones?

Or is my flesh of bronze?

¹³Isn’t it that I have no help in me,

that wisdom is driven away from me?

¹⁴“To him who is ready to faint, kindness should be shown from his friend;

even to him who forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

¹⁵My brothers have dealt deceitfully as a brook,

as the channel of brooks that pass away;

¹⁶which are black by reason of the ice,

in which the snow hides itself.

¹⁷In the dry season, they vanish.

When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

¹⁸The caravans that travel beside them turn away.

They go up into the waste, and perish.

¹⁹The caravans of Tema looked.

The companies of Sheba waited for them.

²⁰They were distressed because they were confident.

They came there, and were confounded.

²¹For now y’all are nothing.

Y’all see a terror and are afraid.

²²Did I ever say, ‘Y’all give me something?’

or, ‘Y’all pay me a bribe from your wealth?’

²³or, ‘Y’all deliver me from the adversary’s hand?’

or, ‘Y’all redeem me from the hand of the oppressors?’

²⁴“Y’all teach me and I will be silent.

Y’all explain my error.

²⁵How painful are honest words!

But y’all’s rebuke, what does it rebuke?

²⁶Do y’all intend to rebuke my words,

since the speech of one who is desperate is like the wind?

²⁷Yes, y’all would even cast lots for the fatherless,

and barter over your friend.

²⁸Now will y’all please look at me,

I won’t lie to y’all’s face.

²⁹Please relent, y’all.

Let there be no injustice.

Yes, return again.

My cause is righteous.

³⁰Is there injustice on my tongue?

Can’t my taste discern mischievous things?