Job 19
1 Then answered Job, and said,
Then Job replied:
2 How long will ye grieve my soul, and crush me with words?
“How long will you [three] torment me and crush my spirit by saying to me [that I am wicked]?
3 These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed when ye show yourselves as strangers to me.
You have already insulted me many [HYP] times; (are you not ashamed for saying these things to me?/you should be ashamed for saying these things to me.) [RHQ]
4 Yea, if it be indeed that I have erred, let my error remain with myself.
Even if it were true that I have done things that are wrong, I have not injured you!
5 But if indeed ye wish to magnify yourselves above me, and to prove against me my disgrace:
If you truly think that you are better than I am, and you think that my being miserable now proves that I (am guilty/have committed many sins),
6 Then know for certain that God hath bent me down, and hath laid his net all around me.
you need to realize that it is God who has caused me to suffer. [It is as though] he has trapped me with 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.
“I cry out, ‘Help me!’, but no one answers me. I call out loudly, but there is no one, [not even God, ] who acts fairly toward me.
8 My road hath he fenced up, so that I cannot pass out; and on my paths he placeth darkness.
[It is as though] [MET] God has blocked my way, with the result that I cannot go where I want to; [it is as though] he has forced me to try to find my way in the darkness.
9 My glory hath he stripped from me, and removed the crown of my head.
He has (taken away my good reputation/caused people not to honor me any more); [it is as though] he removed [MET] a 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 batters me from every side, and I will soon die. He has caused me to no longer confidently expect [him to do good things for me].
11 He hath also kindled against me his wrath, and he counteth me with himself as one of his adversaries.
He attacks me because he is extremely angry with me [MET], and he considers that I am his enemy.
12 Altogether come on his troops, and make level against me their way, and encamp round about my tent.
[It is as though] he sends his army to attack me; they surround my tent, preparing to attack me.
13 My brothers hath he removed far from me, and my acquaintance are entirely estranged from me.
“God has caused my brothers to abandon me, and all those who know me act like strangers to me.
14 My near of kin have withdrawn, and those befriended by me have forgotten me.
All my relatives and good friends have left 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.
The people who were guests in my house have forgotten me, and my female servants consider that I am a stranger or that I am a foreigner.
16 I call for my servant, but he will not answer, though I were to entreat him with my mouth.
When I summon my servants, they do not answer; I plead with them to come [to help me, but they do not come].
17 My breath is become nauseous to my wife, and my caressing, to the children of my own body.
My wife does not want to come close to me because my breath [smells very bad], and even my brothers detest me.
18 Yea, children even despise me: I rise up, but they speak against me.
Even young children despise me; when I stand up [to talk to them], they laugh at me.
19 All that have had my confidence abominate me; and those whom I have loved are turned against me.
My dearest friends detest me, and those whom I love [very much] 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 body is [only] skin and bones; I am barely alive [IDM].
21 Spare me, spare me, O ye, my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
[“I plead with] you, my [three] friends, pity me, because God has (struck [EUP] me with his hand/caused me to suffer greatly).
22 Why will ye persecute me as God [hath done], and will never be satisfied with my flesh?
Why do you cause me to suffer like God does? Why do you continue to slander [MET] 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!
“I wish/desire that someone would take these words of mine and write them permanently in a book [in order that people can read them].
24 That they were hewn with an iron pen and [blackened with] lead for eternity in the hard rock!
Or else, I wish that he would carve them on a rock with (a chisel/an iron tool) in order that they would last 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 the one who vindicates/defends me in court is alive, and that some day he will stand [here] on the earth [and make the final decision about whether I deserve to be punished].
26 And after my skin is cut to pieces will this be: and then freed from my body shall I behold God;
And even after diseases have eaten away my skin, while I still have my body, 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 myself; I will see him with my own eyes! I am overwhelmed [as I think about that]!
28 But if ye should say, How will we pursue him? seeing the root of the matter is found in me:
“If you three men say, ‘What more can we do to cause Job to suffer?’ and if you say, ‘He has caused his own [troubles],’
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].
you should be afraid that God will punish [MTY] you; he punishes those [like you] with whom he is angry; and when that happens, you will know that there is [someone who] judges [people].”
