Job 19
1 Then answered Job, and said,
Then Job answered:
2 How long will ye grieve my soul, and crush me with words?
“How long will you torment me and crush me with your words?
3 These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed when ye show yourselves as strangers to me.
Ten times now you have reproached me; you shamelessly mistreat me.
4 Yea, if it be indeed that I have erred, let my error remain with myself.
Even if I have truly gone astray, my error concerns me alone.
5 But if indeed ye wish to magnify yourselves above me, and to prove against me my disgrace:
If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my disgrace against me,
6 Then know for certain that God hath bent me down, and hath laid his net all around me.
then understand that it is God who has wronged me and drawn His net around me.
7 Behold, I cry out concerning the violence [done me], but I am not answered: I entreat aloud, but there is no justice.
Though I cry out, ‘Violence!’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice.
8 My road hath he fenced up, so that I cannot pass out; and on my paths he placeth darkness.
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; He has veiled my paths with darkness.
9 My glory hath he stripped from me, and removed the crown of my head.
He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head.
10 He hath pulled me down on every side, and I am going hence; and he hath rooted up like a tree my hope.
He tears me down on every side until I am gone; He uproots my hope like a tree.
11 He hath also kindled against me his wrath, and he counteth me with himself as one of his adversaries.
His anger burns against me, and He counts me among His enemies.
12 Altogether come on his troops, and make level against me their way, and encamp round about my tent.
His troops advance together; they construct a ramp against me and encamp around my tent.
13 My brothers hath he removed far from me, and my acquaintance are entirely estranged from me.
He has removed my brothers from me; my acquaintances have abandoned me.
14 My near of kin have withdrawn, and those befriended by me have forgotten me.
My kinsmen have failed me, and my friends have forgotten me.
15 Ye that sojourn in my house, and my maid-servants, regard me as a stranger: an alien am I become in their eyes.
My guests and maidservants count me as a stranger; I am a foreigner in their sight.
16 I call for my servant, but he will not answer, though I were to entreat him with my mouth.
I call for my servant, but he does not answer, though I implore him with my own mouth.
17 My breath is become nauseous to my wife, and my caressing, to the children of my own body.
My breath is repulsive to my wife, and I am loathsome to my own family.
18 Yea, children even despise me: I rise up, but they speak against me.
Even little boys scorn me; when I appear, they deride me.
19 All that have had my confidence abominate me; and those whom I have loved are turned against me.
All my best friends despise me, and those I love have turned against me.
20 To my skin and to my flesh my bones do cleave, and I must sustain myself with the gums of my teeth.
My skin and flesh cling to my bones; I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21 Spare me, spare me, O ye, my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.
22 Why will ye persecute me as God [hath done], and will never be satisfied with my flesh?
Why do you persecute me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh?
23 Oh who would but grant, that my words might be written down! oh who would grant that they were entered in a book!
I wish that my words were recorded and inscribed in a book,
24 That they were hewn with an iron pen and [blackened with] lead for eternity in the hard rock!
by an iron stylus on lead, or chiseled in stone forever.
25 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];
But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth.
26 And after my skin is cut to pieces will this be: and then freed from my body shall I behold God;
Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.
27 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.
I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me!
28 But if ye should say, How will we pursue him? seeing the root of the matter is found in me:
If you say, ‘Let us persecute him, since the root of the matter lies with him,’
29 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].
then you should fear the sword yourselves, because wrath brings punishment by the sword, so that you may know there is a judgment.”
