Job 6:11

What strength have I, to go on hoping

   What end, that I should be patient?

Despair. Job has it in spades. No kids, no health, no food, no way to get food. I still find it funny that his wife is still there, and he says he has no hope. For every ounce of negativity my wife brings my life, she brings tons of positivity. I strive to do the same for her.

Once I reread this, I was sure everyone had it right the first time. But in place of hope one source had “wait”, one had “endure”, and another had “be quiet”. There were some nuances from word order and poetry, but strength was consistent, as was the intent.

The “end” was also presented as “prospects” and “how long I have to live”.  Neither of these were really wrong, but I went with what I felt. “Patient” was also put forth as “endure” that makes a lot of sense, but also with “prolong my life” and “even if I live long”. Patient just seemed too obvious not to use.

Oddly enough I used the same wording for the first stich as my dreaded poet source. He of course threw out the totally questionable parts for the second stitch: “How far off is my end, even if I live long.” That makes absolutely no sense to me. I did not like the “that I should prolong my life” of the King James and New King James versions, but it does carry the intent (wanting to die).

We have a few big days for our family this week among a bunch in the month. One was God given, one was chosen, and the other is a marketing ploy of candy makers and flower sellers. The world plays forth Valentine’s day as a big huge day for lovers. Right up there with birthdays, anniversaries, (and Christmas). The problem is that love should be on ongoing everyday kind of existence and the trouble with reservations, buying expensive flowers, and all the world that comes with Valentine’s day overshadows the real purpose God gave us helpmates. They are to give us hope and a source for patience no matter the way the world makes us feel or what end are we to come to. God gives us daily bread, and that is sufficient. Sufficient to share with the one we love.