Job 19
1 Job replied,
And Job made answer and said,
2 “How long will you go on tormenting me? How long will you go on crushing me with words?
How long will you make my life bitter, crushing me with words?
3 Ten times already you have humiliated me. Aren't you ashamed for treating me so badly?
Ten times now you have made sport of me; it gives you no sense of shame to do me wrong.
4 Even if I did sin, that's my problem, and has nothing to do with you.
And, truly, if I have been in error, the effect of my error is only on myself.
5 You think you're so much better than me, and you use my degradation against me.
If you make yourselves great against me, using my punishment as an argument against me,
6 But you should realize that it's God who has wronged me, he has trapped me in his net.
Be certain that it is God who has done me wrong, and has taken me in his net.
7 Even though I cry for help, I get no answer; even though I shout my objections, I get no justice.
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 God has walled me in so I can't escape; he has plunged my path into darkness.
My way is walled up by him so that I may not go by: he has made my roads dark.
9 He has stripped my honor from me; he has taken away my reputation.
He has put off my glory from me, and taken the crown from my head.
10 He tears me down from all sides until I am finished; he has destroyed my hope like a tree that is uprooted.
I am broken down by him on every side, and I am gone; my hope is uprooted like a tree.
11 His anger burns against me; he treats me as one of his enemies.
His wrath is burning against me, and I am to him as one of his haters.
12 God's troops assemble to attack me. They build ramparts against me. They encircle and besiege my home.
His armies come on together, they make their road high against me, and put up their tents round mine.
13 He has driven my brothers far away from me; all my former friends are estranged from me.
He has taken my brothers far away from me; they have seen my fate and have become strange to me.
14 My relatives have abandoned me; my close friends 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 My house guests and my maidservants treat me as a stranger—to them I have become a foreigner.
I am strange to my women-servants, and seem to them as one from another country.
16 I call my servant, but he doesn't reply. I have to beg him!
At my cry my servant gives me no answer, and I have to make a prayer to him.
17 I am repulsive to my wife, and I am loathsome to my own brothers.
My breath is strange to my wife, and I am disgusting to the offspring of my mother's body.
18 Even young children despise me; when I stand up they ridicule me.
Even young children have no respect for me; when I get up their backs are turned on me.
19 All my closest friends despise me, and those I loved have turned on me.
All the men of my circle keep away from me; and those dear to me are turned against me.
20 I've been reduced to skin and bones and I survive by the skin of 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, my friends, have pity on me, because God has struck me down!
Have pity on me, have pity on me, O my friends! for the hand of God is on me.
22 Why are you persecuting me like God does? Aren't you satisfied with getting your pound of flesh?
Why are you cruel to me, like God, for ever saying evil against me?
23 I wish my words could be written down, recorded in a book,
If only my words might be recorded! if they might be put in writing in a book!
24 or engraved with an iron pen and molten lead in the rock forever.
And with an iron pen and lead be cut into the rock for ever!
25 I know my Redeemer is alive, and that he shall finally take the stand for me on 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 Even though my skin is destroyed, in my body I shall see God.
And ... without my flesh I will see God;
27 I myself will see him—with my own eyes, and not those of someone else! The thought overcomes me!
Whom I will see on my side, and not as one strange to me. My heart is broken with desire.
28 You say to yourselves, ‘How can we make him suffer so he can see he is the source of his problems?’
If you say, How cruel we will be to him! because the root of sin is clearly in him:
29 You yourselves should fear being punished by God, for you know anger brings God's punishment that accompanies 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.
