Job 6

EasyEnglish Bible

² ‘I am so upset that nobody could measure it!
    My problems are too many to weigh!
³ They are heavier than all the sand on the shore of the sea.
    That is why I did not think carefully before I spoke.
⁴ Almighty God has shot his arrows into me.
    Their poison is now deep inside me.
God has sent me many troubles that make me afraid.

⁵ A wild donkey does not complain when it has grass to eat.
    An ox is quiet when it has its food.
⁶ You cannot enjoy food that has no salt in it.
    The white part of an egg is not nice to eat on its own.
⁷ I cannot eat that kind of food.
    It makes me ill.

⁸ I want God to give me what I ask him for.
    I want him to answer my prayer.
⁹ I would like him to destroy me.
    He should kill me himself.
¹⁰ Then I would have peace.
    I would be happy.
I have received much cruel pain.
    But I have always obeyed the words of the holy God.
¹¹ I am not strong enough to hope for my life to become any better.
    There is no reason for me to continue my life.
¹² I am not as strong as stones.
    My body is not strong like bronze.
¹³ I no longer have strength to help myself.
    There is nowhere that I can go to get help.

¹⁴ When a man has no hope,
    his friends should be kind to him.
They should help him,
    even if he no longer respects God Almighty.
¹⁵ But you, my friends, have not helped me when I need you.
    You are like streams that quickly become dry.
    There is no water when you need it.
¹⁶ In the spring, ice and deep snow covers them.
¹⁷ But in the hot summer time, all the water disappears.
    Those streams become completely dry.
¹⁸ Travellers leave the road to look for water.
    They find no water to drink and they die in the desert.
¹⁹ Travellers from Tema look everywhere for these streams.
    Traders from Sheba hope to find water.
²⁰ They are very upset, because they expected to find water.
    But when they arrive, they are disappointed.
²¹ My friends, you have become like those streams.
    You see my great problem, and you are afraid.

²² I have never said to you, “Give me something to help me.
    Please use some of your money to rescue me.”
²³ I have not asked you to save me from the power of my enemy.
    Or to pay cruel people to let me go free.

²⁴ Teach me the truth, and I will listen carefully.
    Explain to me the mistakes that I have made.
²⁵ True words may give pain to the person who listens to them.
    But the things that you say against me mean nothing.
²⁶ You are warning me because of what I say.
    I have no hope and you think that my words are empty.
²⁷ You would play a game to win a child who has no family.
    You would even sell your friends to become rich yourselves.
²⁸ But now, please look at me.
    I will not tell you any lies.
²⁹ Change what you are saying about me.
    Do not say that I am guilty.
Think again, for I am truly a good person.
³⁰ I have not spoken any lies.
    I know what is right and what is wrong.