Job 6:2–5

2 “If only my anguish could be weighed

and all my misery be placed on the scales!

3 It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas—

no wonder my words have been impetuous.

4 The arrows of the Almighty are in me,

my spirit drinks in their poison;

God’s terrors are marshaled against me.

5 Does a wild donkey bray when it has grass,

or an ox bellow when it has fodder?

2 Oh that my grief were throughly weighed,

And my calamity laid in the balances together!

3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea:

Therefore my words are swallowed up.

4 For 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.

5 Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass?

Or loweth the ox over his fodder?

2 “If my misery could be weighed

and my troubles be put on the scales,

3 they would outweigh all the sands of the sea.

That is why I spoke impulsively.

4 For the Almighty has struck me down with his arrows.

Their poison infects my spirit.

God’s terrors are lined up against me.

5 Don’t I have a right to complain?

Don’t wild donkeys bray when they find no grass,

and oxen bellow when they have no food?

2 “Oh, that my grief were fully weighed,

And my calamity laid with it on the scales!

3 For then 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;

My spirit drinks in their poison;

The terrors of God are arrayed against me.

5 Does the wild donkey bray when it has grass,

Or does the ox low over its fodder?

2 “I wish my suffering could be weighed

and my misery put on scales.

3 My sadness would be heavier than the sand of the seas.

No wonder my words seem careless.

4 The arrows of the Almighty are in me;

my spirit drinks in their poison;

God’s terrors are gathered against me.

5 A wild donkey does not bray when it has grass to eat,

and an ox is quiet when it has feed.

2 Oh that my vexation were but weighed,

And all my calamity laid in the balances!

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

Therefore have my words been rash.

4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me,

The poison whereof my spirit drinketh up:

The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

5 Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass?

Or loweth the ox over his fodder?

2 Oh that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances! 3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas; therefore my words are vehement. 4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, their poison drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of †God are arrayed against me. 5 Doth the wild ass bray by the grass? loweth an ox over his fodder?

2 “If only my grief could be weighed, 

if only my misery could be laid on the scales with it, 

3 then they would be heavier than the sand of the seas. 

I spoke carelessly 

4 because the arrows of the Almighty ⸤have found their target⸥ in me, 

and my spirit is drinking their poison. 

God’s terrors line up in battle against me. 

5 “Does a wild donkey bray when it’s ⸤eating⸥ grass, 

or does an ox make a sound over its hay? 

2 If only my grief could be weighed

and my devastation placed with it in the scales.

3 For then it would outweigh the sand of the seas!

That is why my words are rash.

4 Surely the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me;

my spirit drinks their poison.

God’s terrors are arrayed against me.

5 Does a wild donkey bray over fresh grass

or an ox low over its fodder?

2 “O that my vexation were weighed

and all my calamity laid in the balances!

3 For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea;

therefore my words have been rash.

4 For the arrows of the Almighty are in me;

my spirit drinks their poison;

the terrors of God are arrayed against me.

5 Does the wild ass bray over its grass

or the ox low over its fodder?

2 “If only my vexation could be well weighed,

and my calamity could be lifted up together with it in the balances,

3 for then it would be heavier than the sand of the seas;

therefore my words have been rash,

4 for the arrows of Shaddai are in me;

my spirit drinks their poison;

the terrors of God are arrayed against me.

5 Does the wild ass bray over grass,

or the ox bellow over its fodder?

2 “I wish my great pain could be weighed!

I wish all of my suffering could be weighed on scales!

3 I’m sure they would weigh more than the grains of sand on the seashore.

No wonder I’ve been so quick to speak!

4 The Mighty One has shot me with his arrows.

I have to drink their poison.

God’s terrors are aimed at me.

5 Does a wild donkey cry out when it has enough grass?

Does an ox call out when it has plenty of food?

2 “Oh that my grief were actually weighed

And laid in the balances together with my calamity!

3 “For then it would be heavier than the sand of the seas;

Therefore my words have been rash.

4 “For the arrows of the Almighty are within me,

Their poison my spirit drinks;

The terrors of God are arrayed against me.

5 “Does the wild donkey bray over his grass,

Or does the ox low over his fodder?