Study Desk

"How painful are words of honesty. But what does your argument prove?

"When I lie down I say, 'When shall I arise [and the night be gone]?' But the night continues, And I am continually tossing until the dawning of day.

"Remember that my life is but breath [a puff of wind, a sigh]; My eye will not see good again.

"The eye of him who sees me [now] will see me no more; Your eyes will be upon me, but I will not be.

"I waste away and loathe my life; I will not live forever. Let me alone, for my days are but a breath [futile and without substance].

"Why then do You not pardon my transgression And take away my sin and guilt? For now I will lie down in the dust; And You will seek me [diligently], but I will not be."

"He trusts in his house, but it does not stand; He holds tightly to it, but it does not endure.

"Yes, I know it is true. But how can a mortal man be right before God?

"Behold, He passes by me, and I do not see Him; He moves past me, but I do not perceive Him.

"He will not allow me to catch my breath, But fills and saturates me with bitterness.

"Then I would speak [my defense] and not fear Him; But I am not like that in myself.

"But oh, that God would speak, And open His lips [to speak] against you,

"But a hollow (empty-headed) man will become intelligent and wise [Only] when the colt of a wild donkey is born as a man.

"But the eyes of the wicked will fail, And they will not escape [the justice of God]; And their hope is to breathe their last [and die]."

"But I have intelligence and understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these [of God's wisdom and might]?

"He who is at ease has contempt for misfortune, But misfortune is ready [and anxiously waiting] for those whose feet slip.

"But [only] with Him are [perfect] wisdom and might; He [alone] has [true] counsel and understanding.

"But I wish to speak to the Almighty, And I desire to argue with God.

"But you smear me with lies [you defame my character most untruthfully]; You are all worthless physicians and have no remedy to offer.

"For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that the shoots of it will not cease nor fail, [but there is no such hope for man].