Job 6:11
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
American King James Version (AKJV)
What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
American Standard Version (ASV)
What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is mine end, that I should be patient?
Basic English Translation (BBE)
Have I strength to go on waiting, or have I any end to be looking forward to?
Webster's Revision
What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
World English Bible
What is my strength, that I should wait? What is my end, that I should be patient?
English Revised Version (ERV)
What is my strength, that I should wait? and what is mine end, at I should be patient?
Clarke's Job 6:11 Bible Commentary
What is my strength - I can never suppose that my strength will be restored; and, were that possible, have I any comfortable prospect of a happy termination of my life? Had I any prospect of future happiness, I might well bear my present ills; but the state of my body and the state of my circumstances preclude all hope.
Barnes's Job 6:11 Bible Commentary
What is my strength, that I should hope? - Job had hitherto borne his trials without apprehension that he would lose his constancy of hope, or his confidence in God. He here seems to apprehend that his constancy might fail, and he therefore wishes to die before he should be left to dishonor God. He asks, therefore, what strength he had that he should hope to be able to sustain his trials much longer.
And what is mine end, that I should prolong my life? - Various interpretations have been given of this passage. Some suppose it means, "What is the limit of my strength? How long will it last?" Others, "What end is there to be to my miseries?" Others, "How distant is mine end? How long have I to live?" Noyes renders it, "And what is mine end that I should be patient?" Rosenmuller supposes that the word "end" here means the "end of his strength," or that he had not such fortitude as to be certain that he could long bear his trials without complaining or murmuring. The phrase rendered "prolong my life," probably means rather "to lengthen the patience," or to hold out under accumulated sorrows. The word rendered life נפשׁ nephesh often means soul, spirit, mind, as well as life, and the sense is, that he could not hope, from any strength that he had, to bear without complaining these trials until the natural termination of his life; and hence, he wished God to grant his request, and to destroy him. Feeling that his patience was sinking under his calamities, be says that it would be better for him to die than be left to dishonor his Maker. It is just the state of feeling which many a sufferer has, that his trials are so great that nature will sink under them, and that death would be a relief. Then is the time to look to God for support and consolation.
Wesley's Job 6:11 Bible Commentary
6:11 Strength - My strength is so spent, that it is vain for me to hope for such restitution as thou hast promised me, chap. 5:22 .End - What is death to me? It is not terrible, but comfortable.That - Then why should I desire to prolong my life. But as desirous of death as Job was, yet he never offered to put an end to his own life.Such a thought will never be entertained by any, that have the least regard to the law of God and nature. How uneasy soever the soul's confinement in the body may be, it must by no means break the prison, but wait for a fair discharge.