Job 19
1 Then Job answered, and said:
And Job made answer and said,
2 How long do you afflict my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
How long will you make my life bitter, crushing me with words?
3 Behold, these ten times you confound me, and are not ashamed to oppress me.
Ten times now you have made sport of me; it gives you no sense of shame to do me wrong.
4 For if I have been ignorant, my ignorance shall be with me.
And, truly, if I have been in error, the effect of my error is only on myself.
5 But you have set yourselves up against me, and reprove me with my reproaches.
If you make yourselves great against me, using my punishment as an argument against me,
6 At least now understand, that God hath not afflicted me with an equal judgment, and compassed me with his scourges.
Be certain that it is God who has done me wrong, and has taken me in his net.
7 Behold I cry suffering violence, and no one will hear: I shall cry aloud, and there is none to judge.
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 He hath hedged in my path round about, and I cannot pass, and in my way he hath set darkness.
My way is walled up by him so that I may not go by: he has made my roads dark.
9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and hath taken the crown from my head.
He has put off my glory from me, and taken the crown from my head.
10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am lost, and he hath taken away my hope, as from a tree that is plucked up.
I am broken down by him on every side, and I am gone; my hope is uprooted like a tree.
11 His wrath is kindled against me, and he hath counted me as his enemy.
His wrath is burning against me, and I am to him as one of his haters.
12 His troops have come together, and have made themselves a way by me, and have besieged my tabernacle round about.
His armies come on together, they make their road high against me, and put up their tents round mine.
13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and my acquaintance like strangers have departed from me.
He has taken my brothers far away from me; they have seen my fate and have become strange to me.
14 My kinsmen have forsaken me, and they that knew me, 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 They that dwelt in my house, and my maidservants have counted me a stranger, and I have been like an alien in their eyes.
I am strange to my women-servants, and seem to them as one from another country.
16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer, I entreated him with my own mouth.
At my cry my servant gives me no answer, and I have to make a prayer to him.
17 My wife hath abhorred my breath, and I entreated the children of my womb.
My breath is strange to my wife, and I am disgusting to the offspring of my mother's body.
18 Even fools despise me; and when I gone from them, they spoke against me.
Even young children have no respect for me; when I get up their backs are turned on me.
19 They that were sometime my counsellors, have abhorred me: and he whom I love most is turned against me.
All the men of my circle keep away from me; and those dear to me are turned against me.
20 The flesh being consumed. My bone hath cleaved to my skin, and nothing but lips are left about my teeth.
My bones are joined to my skin, and I have got away with my flesh in my teeth.
21 Have pity on me, have pity on me, at least you my friends, because the hand of the Lord hath touched me.
Have pity on me, have pity on me, O my friends! for the hand of God is on me.
22 Why do you persecute me as God, and glut yourselves with my flesh?
Why are you cruel to me, like God, for ever saying evil against me?
23 Who will grant me that my words may be written? Who will grant me that they may be marked down in a book?
If only my words might be recorded! if they might be put in writing in a book!
24 With an iron pen and in a plate of lead, or else be graven with an instrument in flint stone.
And with an iron pen and lead be cut into the rock for ever!
25 For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and in the last day I shall rise out of the earth.
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 I shall be clothed again with my skin, and in my flesh I will see my God.
And ... without my flesh I will see God;
27 Whom I myself shall see, and my eyes shall behold, and not another: this my hope is laid up in my bosom.
Whom I will see on my side, and not as one strange to me. My heart is broken with desire.
28 Why then do you say now: Let us persecute him, and let us find occasion of word against him?
If you say, How cruel we will be to him! because the root of sin is clearly in him:
29 Flee then from the face of the sword, for the sword is the revenger of iniquities: and know ye that there is judgment.
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.
