Job 19

1 Then Job answered and said:

Then answered Job, and said,

2 How long will ye vex my soul, and crush me with words?

How long will ye grieve my soul, and crush me with words?

3 These ten times have ye reproached me; ye are not ashamed that ye deal harshly with me.

These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed when ye show yourselves as strangers to me.

4 And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.

Yea, if it be indeed that I have erred, let my error remain with myself.

5 If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach;

But if indeed ye wish to magnify yourselves above me, and to prove against me my disgrace:

6 Know now that God hath subverted my cause, and hath compassed me with His net.

Then know for certain that God hath bent me down, and hath laid his net all around me.

7 Behold, I cry out: 'Violence!' but I am not heard; I cry aloud, but there is no justice.

Behold, I cry out concerning the violence [done me], but I am not answered: I entreat aloud, but there is no justice.

8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and hath set darkness in my paths.

My road hath he fenced up, so that I cannot pass out; and on my paths he placeth darkness.

9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.

My glory hath he stripped from me, and removed the crown of my head.

10 He hath broken me down on every side, and I am gone; and my hope hath He plucked up like a tree.

He hath pulled me down on every side, and I am going hence; and he hath rooted up like a tree my hope.

11 He hath also kindled His wrath against me, and He counteth me unto Him as one of His adversaries.

He hath also kindled against me his wrath, and he counteth me with himself as one of his adversaries.

12 His troops come on together, and cast up their way against me, and encamp round about my tent.

Altogether come on his troops, and make level against me their way, and encamp round about my tent.

13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are wholly estranged from me.

My brothers hath he removed far from me, and my acquaintance are entirely estranged from me.

14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.

My near of kin have withdrawn, and those befriended by me have forgotten me.

15 They that dwell in my house, and my maids, count me for a stranger; I am become an alien in their sight.

Ye that sojourn in my house, and my maid-servants, regard me as a stranger: an alien am I become in their eyes.

16 I call unto my servant, and he giveth me no answer, though I entreat him with my mouth.

I call for my servant, but he will not answer, though I were to entreat him with my mouth.

17 My breath is abhorred of my wife, and I am loathsome to the children of my tribe.

My breath is become nauseous to my wife, and my caressing, to the children of my own body.

18 Even urchins despised me; if I arise, they speak against me.

Yea, children even despise me: I rise up, but they speak against me.

19 All my intimate friends abhor me; and they whom I loved are turned against me.

All that have had my confidence abominate me; and those whom I have loved are turned against me.

20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.

To my skin and to my flesh my bones do cleave, and I must sustain myself with the gums of my teeth.

21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.

Spare me, spare me, O ye, my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.

22 Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?

Why will ye persecute me as God [hath done], and will never be satisfied with my flesh?

23 Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!

Oh who would but grant, that my words might be written down! oh who would grant that they were entered in a book!

24 That with an iron pen and lead they were graven in the rock for ever!

That they were hewn with an iron pen and [blackened with] lead for eternity in the hard rock!

25 But as for me, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He will witness at the last upon the dust;

And well I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he will remain as the last after the creatures of the dust [are passed away];

26 And when after my skin this is destroyed, then without my flesh shall I see God;

And after my skin is cut to pieces will this be: and then freed from my body shall I behold God;

27 Whom I, even I, shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another's. My reins are consumed within me.

Whom I shall myself behold to my happiness, and whom my eyes will see, and not as a stranger, [when even] my reins are consumed within my bosom.

28 If ye say: 'How we will persecute him!' seeing that the root of the matter is found in me;

But if ye should say, How will we pursue him? seeing the root of the matter is found in me:

29 Be ye afraid of the sword; for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.

Then have dread for yourselves of the sword; for the wrath [which ye excite] is an iniquity that bringeth the sword; in order that ye may know there is one that judgeth [in the world].