Job 19
1 Then answered Job, and said,
And Job made answer and said,
2 How long will ye grieve my soul, and crush me with words?
How long will you make my life bitter, crushing me with 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 made sport of me; it gives you no sense of shame to do me wrong.
4 Yea, if it be indeed that I have erred, let my error remain with myself.
And, truly, if I have been in error, the effect of my error is only on myself.
5 But if indeed ye wish to magnify yourselves above me, and to prove against me my disgrace:
If you make yourselves great against me, using my punishment as an argument against me,
6 Then know for certain that God hath bent me down, and hath laid his net all around me.
Be certain that it is God who has done me wrong, and has taken me in his net.
7 Behold, I cry out concerning the violence [done me], but I am not answered: I entreat aloud, but there is 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 My road hath he fenced up, so that I cannot pass out; and on my paths he placeth darkness.
My way is walled up by him so that I may not go by: he has made my roads dark.
9 My glory hath he stripped from me, and removed the crown of my head.
He has put off my glory from me, and taken 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.
I am broken down by him on every side, and I am gone; my hope is uprooted like a tree.
11 He hath also kindled against me his wrath, and he counteth me with himself as one of his adversaries.
His wrath is burning against me, and I am to him as one of his haters.
12 Altogether come on his troops, and make level against me their way, and encamp round about my tent.
His armies come on together, they make their road high against me, and put up their tents round mine.
13 My brothers hath he removed far from me, and my acquaintance are entirely 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14 My near of kin have withdrawn, and those befriended by me have forgotten me.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 Ye that sojourn in my house, and my maid-servants, regard me as a stranger: an alien am I become in their eyes.
I am strange to my women-servants, and seem to them as one from another country.
16 I call for my servant, but he will not answer, though I were to entreat him with my mouth.
At my cry my servant gives me no answer, and I have to make a prayer to him.
17 My breath is become nauseous to my wife, and my caressing, to the children of my own body.
My breath is strange to my wife, and I am disgusting to the offspring of my mother's body.
18 Yea, children even despise me: I rise up, but they speak against me.
Even young children have no respect for me; when I get up their backs are turned on me.
19 All that have had my confidence abominate me; and those whom I have loved are turned against me.
All the men of my circle keep away from me; and those dear to me are 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 bones are joined to my skin, and I have got away with my flesh in my teeth.
21 Spare me, spare me, O ye, my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
Have pity on me, have pity on me, O my friends! for the hand of God is on me.
22 Why will ye persecute me as God [hath done], and will never be satisfied with my flesh?
Why are you cruel to me, like God, for ever saying evil against me?
23 Oh who would but grant, that my words might be written down! oh who would grant that they were entered in a book!
If only my words might be recorded! if they might be put in writing in a book!
24 That they were hewn with an iron pen and [blackened with] lead for eternity in the hard rock!
And with an iron pen and lead be cut into the rock for ever!
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 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 And after my skin is cut to pieces will this be: and then freed from my body shall I behold God;
And ... without 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.
Whom I will see on my side, and not as one strange to me. My heart is broken with desire.
28 But if ye should say, How will we pursue him? seeing the root of the matter is found in me:
If you say, How cruel we will be to him! because the root of sin is clearly in 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].
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.
