Job 19
1 Then Job answered:
Then Job answered and said:
2 “How long will you torment me and crush me with your words?
How long will ye vex my soul, and crush me with words?
3 Ten times now you have reproached me; you shamelessly mistreat me.
These ten times have ye reproached me; ye are not ashamed that ye deal harshly with me.
4 Even if I have truly gone astray, my error concerns me alone.
And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.
5 If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my disgrace against me,
If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach;
6 then understand that it is God who has wronged me and drawn His net around me.
Know now that God hath subverted my cause, and hath compassed me with His net.
7 Though I cry out, ‘Violence!’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice.
Behold, I cry out: 'Violence!' but I am not heard; I cry aloud, but there is no justice.
8 He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; He has veiled my paths with darkness.
He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and hath set darkness in my paths.
9 He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head.
He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
10 He tears me down on every side until I am gone; He uproots my hope like a tree.
He hath broken me down on every side, and I am gone; and my hope hath He plucked up like a tree.
11 His anger burns against me, and He counts me among His enemies.
He hath also kindled His wrath against me, and He counteth me unto Him as one of His adversaries.
12 His troops advance together; they construct a ramp against me and encamp around my tent.
His troops come on together, and cast up their way against me, and encamp round about my tent.
13 He has removed my brothers from me; my acquaintances have abandoned me.
He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are wholly estranged from me.
14 My kinsmen have failed me, and my friends have forgotten me.
My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
15 My guests and maidservants count me as a stranger; I am a foreigner in their sight.
They that dwell in my house, and my maids, count me for a stranger; I am become an alien in their sight.
16 I call for my servant, but he does not answer, though I implore him with my own mouth.
I call unto my servant, and he giveth me no answer, though I entreat him with my mouth.
17 My breath is repulsive to my wife, and I am loathsome to my own family.
My breath is abhorred of my wife, and I am loathsome to the children of my tribe.
18 Even little boys scorn me; when I appear, they deride me.
Even urchins despised me; if I arise, they speak against me.
19 All my best friends despise me, and those I love have turned against me.
All my intimate friends abhor me; and they whom I loved are turned against me.
20 My skin and flesh cling to my bones; I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21 Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.
Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
22 Why do you persecute me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh?
Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
23 I wish that my words were recorded and inscribed in a book,
Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24 by an iron stylus on lead, or chiseled in stone forever.
That with an iron pen and lead they were graven in the rock for ever!
25 But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth.
But as for me, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He will witness at the last upon the dust;
26 Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.
And when after my skin this is destroyed, then without my flesh shall I see God;
27 I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me!
Whom I, even I, shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another's. My reins are consumed within me.
28 If you say, ‘Let us persecute him, since the root of the matter lies with him,’
If ye say: 'How we will persecute him!' seeing that the root of the matter is found in me;
29 then you should fear the sword yourselves, because wrath brings punishment by the sword, so that you may know there is a judgment.”
Be ye afraid of the sword; for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.
