Job 19
1 Then Job answered, and said:
Then Job answered and said,
2 How long do you afflict my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
“How long will you make me suffer and break me into pieces with words?
3 Behold, these ten times you confound me, and are not ashamed to oppress me.
These ten times you have reproached me; you are not ashamed that you have treated me harshly.
4 For if I have been ignorant, my ignorance shall be with me.
If it is indeed true that I have erred, my error remains my own concern.
5 But you have set yourselves up against me, and reprove me with my reproaches.
If indeed you will exalt yourselves above me and use my humiliation against me,
6 At least now understand, that God hath not afflicted me with an equal judgment, and compassed me with his scourges.
then you should know that God has done wrong to me and has caught 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.
See, I cry out, “Violence!” but I get no answer. I call out for help, but there is no justice.
8 He hath hedged in my path round about, and I cannot pass, and in my way he hath set darkness.
He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness in my path.
9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and hath taken the crown from my head.
He has stripped me of my glory, and he has 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.
He has broken me down on every side, and I am gone; he has pulled up my hope like a tree.
11 His wrath is kindled against me, and he hath counted me as his enemy.
He has also kindled his wrath against me; he regards me as one of his adversaries.
12 His troops have come together, and have made themselves a way by me, and have besieged my tabernacle round about.
His troops come on together; they cast up siege mounds against me and encamp around my tent.
13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and my acquaintance like strangers have departed from me.
He has put my brothers far from me; my acquaintances are wholly alienated from me.
14 My kinsmen have forsaken me, and they that knew me, have forgotten me.
My kinsfolk have failed me; my close friends have forgotten me.
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.
Those who once stayed as guests in my house and my female servants regard me as a stranger; I am an alien in their sight.
16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer, I entreated him with my own mouth.
I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer although I entreat him with my mouth.
17 My wife hath abhorred my breath, and I entreated the children of my womb.
My breath is offensive to my wife; I am even disgusting to those who were born from my mother's womb.
18 Even fools despise me; and when I gone from them, they spoke against me.
Even young children despise me; if I rise to speak, they speak against me.
19 They that were sometime my counsellors, have abhorred me: and he whom I love most is turned against me.
All my familiar friends abhor me; those whom I love have 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 cling to my skin and to my flesh; I survive only by the skin of 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 upon me, have pity upon me, my friends, for the hand of God has touched me.
22 Why do you persecute me as God, and glut yourselves with my flesh?
Why do you pursue me like God does? Will you ever be satisfied with my flesh?
23 Who will grant me that my words may be written? Who will grant me that they may be marked down in a book?
Oh, that my words were now written down! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!
24 With an iron pen and in a plate of lead, or else be graven with an instrument in flint stone.
Oh, that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!
25 For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and in the last day I shall rise out of the earth.
But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at last he will stand on the earth;
26 And I shall be clothed again with my skin, and in my flesh I will see my God.
after my skin, that is, this body, is destroyed, then in 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.
I will see him with my own eyes—I, and not someone else. My heart fails within me.
28 Why then do you say now: Let us persecute him, and let us find occasion of word against him?
If you say, 'How we will persecute him! The root of his troubles lies 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.
then be afraid of the sword, because wrath brings the punishment of the sword, so that you may know there is a judgment.”
