Job 19
1 Then Job answered and said,
Then Job answered and said,
2 How long will all of you vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
“How long will you make me suffer and break me into pieces with words?
3 These ten times have all of you reproached me: all of you are not ashamed that all of you make yourselves strange to me.
These ten times you have reproached me; you are not ashamed that you have treated me harshly.
4 And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remains with myself.
If it is indeed true that I have erred, my error remains my own concern.
5 If indeed all of you will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:
If indeed you will exalt yourselves above me and use my humiliation against me,
6 Know now that God has overthrown me, and has compassed me with his net.
then you should know that God has done wrong to me and has caught me in his net.
7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
See, I cry out, “Violence!” but I get no answer. I call out for help, but there is no justice.
8 He has fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness in my paths.
He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness in my path.
9 He has stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
He has stripped me of my glory, and he has taken the crown from my head.
10 He has destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope has he removed like a tree.
He has broken me down on every side, and I am gone; he has pulled up my hope like a tree.
11 He has also kindled his wrath against me, and he counts me unto him as one of his enemies.
He has also kindled his wrath against me; he regards me as one of his adversaries.
12 His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and camp round about my tabernacle.
His troops come on together; they cast up siege mounds against me and encamp around my tent.
13 He has put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily cut off from me.
He has put my brothers far from me; my acquaintances are wholly alienated from me.
14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
My kinsfolk have failed me; my close friends have forgotten me.
15 They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an foreigner in their sight.
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 implored him with my mouth.
I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer although I entreat him with my mouth.
17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I implored for the children's sake of mine own body.
My breath is offensive to my wife; I am even disgusting to those who were born from my mother's womb.
18 Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spoke against me.
Even young children despise me; if I rise to speak, they speak against me.
19 All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.
All my familiar friends abhor me; those whom I love have turned against me.
20 My bone cleaves to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
My bones cling to my skin and to my flesh; I survive only by the skin of my teeth.
21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O all of you my friends; for the hand of God has touched me.
Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, my friends, for the hand of God has touched me.
22 Why do all of you persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
Why do you pursue me like God does? Will you ever be satisfied with my flesh?
23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
Oh, that my words were now written down! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!
24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
Oh, that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!
25 For I know that my redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at last he will stand on the earth;
26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
after my skin, that is, this body, is destroyed, then in my flesh I will see God.
27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
I will see him with my own eyes—I, and not someone else. My heart fails within me.
28 But all of you should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?
If you say, 'How we will persecute him! The root of his troubles lies in him,'
29 Be all of you afraid of the sword: for wrath brings the punishments of the sword, that all of you may know there is a judgment.
then be afraid of the sword, because wrath brings the punishment of the sword, so that you may know there is a judgment.”
