Job 19

1 Then Job answered and said,

And Job made answer and said,

2 How long will you vex my soul, and destroy me with words? only know that the Lord has dealt with me thus.

How long will you make my life bitter, crushing me with words?

3 You speak against me; you do not feel for me, but bear hard upon me.

Ten times now you have made sport of me; it gives you no sense of shame to do me wrong.

4 Yes verily, I have erred in truth, (but the error abides with myself) in having spoken words which it was not right [to speak]; and my words err, and are unreasonable.

And, truly, if I have been in error, the effect of my error is only on myself.

5 But alas! for you magnify yourselves against me, and insult me with reproach.

If you make yourselves great against me, using my punishment as an argument against me,

6 Know then that it is the Lord that has troubled [me], and has raised his bulwark against me.

Be certain that it is God who has done me wrong, and has taken me in his net.

7 Behold, I laugh at reproach; I will not speak: [or] I will cry out, but [there is] nowhere judgement.

Truly, I make an outcry against the violent man, but there is no answer: I give a cry for help, but no one takes up my cause.

8 I am fenced round about, and can by no means escape: he has set darkness before my face.

My way is walled up by him so that I may not go by: he has made my roads dark.

9 And he has stripped me of my glory, and has taken the crown from my head.

He has put off my glory from me, and taken the crown from my head.

10 He has torn me around about, and I am gone: and he has cut off my hope like a tree.

I am broken down by him on every side, and I am gone; my hope is uprooted like a tree.

11 And he has dreadfully handled me in anger, and has counted me for an enemy.

His wrath is burning against me, and I am to him as one of his haters.

12 His troops also came upon me with one accord, liars in wait compassed my ways.

His armies come on together, they make their road high against me, and put up their tents round mine.

13 My brethren have stood aloof from me; they have recognised strangers [rather] than me: and my friends have become pitiless.

He has taken my brothers far away from me; they have seen my fate and have become strange to me.

14 My nearest of kin have not acknowledged me, and they that knew my name, have forgotten me.

My relations and my near friends have given me up, and those living in my house have put me out of their minds.

15 [As for] my household, and my maidservants, I was a stranger before them.

I am strange to my women-servants, and seem to them as one from another country.

16 I called my servant, and he listened not; and my mouth entreated [him].

At my cry my servant gives me no answer, and I have to make a prayer to him.

17 And I implored my wife, and earnestly entreated the sons of my concubines.

My breath is strange to my wife, and I am disgusting to the offspring of my mother's body.

18 But they rejected me for ever; whenever I rise up, they speak against me.

Even young children have no respect for me; when I get up their backs are turned on me.

19 They that saw me abhorred me: the very persons whom I had loved, rose up against me.

All the men of my circle keep away from me; and those dear to me are turned against me.

20 My flesh is corrupt under my skin, and my bones are held in [my] teeth.

My bones are joined to my skin, and I have got away with my flesh in my teeth.

21 Pity me, pity me, O friends; for it is the hand of the Lord that has touched me.

Have pity on me, have pity on me, O my friends! for the hand of God is on me.

22 Therefore do you persecute me as also the Lord [does], and are not satisfied with my flesh?

Why are you cruel to me, like God, for ever saying evil against me?

23 For oh that my words were written, and that they were recorded in a book forever,

If only my words might be recorded! if they might be put in writing in a book!

24 with an iron pen and lead, or graven in the rocks!

And with an iron pen and lead be cut into the rock for ever!

25 For I know that he is eternal who is about to deliver me,

But I am certain that he who will take up my cause is living, and that in time to come he will take his place on the dust;

26 [and] to raise up upon the earth my skin that endures these [sufferings]: for these things have been accomplished to me of the Lord;

And ... without my flesh I will see God;

27 which I am conscious of in myself, which mine eye has seen, and not another, but all have been fulfilled to me in [my] bosom.

Whom I will see on my side, and not as one strange to me. My heart is broken with desire.

28 But if you shall also say, What shall we say before him, and [so] find the root of the matter in him?

If you say, How cruel we will be to him! because the root of sin is clearly in him:

29 Do you also beware of deceit: for wrath will come upon transgressors; and then shall they know where their substance is.

Be in fear of the sword, for the sword is the punishment for such things, so that you may be certain that there is a judge.