< Job 19 >

1 Then Job answered and said,
But Job answered and said:
2 How long will ye vex my soul and break me in pieces with words?
How long will ye vex my soul, And break me in pieces with words?
3 These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye deal hardly with me.
These ten times have ye reviled me; Without shame do ye stun me!
4 And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.
And be it, indeed, that I have erred, My error abideth with myself.
5 If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:
Since, indeed, ye magnify yourselves against me, And plead against me my reproach,
6 Know now that God hath subverted me [in my cause], and hath compassed me with his net.
Know then that it is God who hath brought me low; He hath encompassed me with his net.
7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry for help, but there is no judgment.
Behold, I complain of wrong, but receive no answer; I cry aloud, but obtain no justice.
8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and hath set darkness in my paths.
He hath fenced up my way, so that I cannot pass, And hath set darkness in my paths.
9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
He hath stripped me of my glory, And taken the crown from my head.
10 He hath broken me down on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he plucked up like a tree.
He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone! He hath torn up my hope like a tree.
11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as [one of] his adversaries.
He kindleth his anger against me, And counteth me as his enemy.
12 His troops come on together, and cast up their way against me, and encamp round about my tent.
His troops advance together against me; They throw up for themselves a way to me, And encamp around my dwelling.
13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are wholly estranged from me.
My brethren he hath put far from me, And my acquaintance are wholly estranged from me.
14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
My kinsfolk have forsaken me, And my bosom friends have forgotten me.
15 They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.
The foreigners of my house, yea, my own maid-servants, regard me as a stranger; I am an alien in their eyes.
16 I call unto my servant, and he giveth me no answer, [though] I entreat him with my mouth.
I call my servant, and he maketh no answer; With my own mouth do I entreat him.
17 My breath is strange to my wife, and my supplication to the children of my [mother’s] womb.
My breath is become strange to my wife, And my prayers also to my own mother's sons.
18 Even young children despise me; if I arise, they speak against me.
Even young children despise me; When I rise up, they speak against me.
19 All my inward friends abhor me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.
All my bosom friends abhor me, And they whom I 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.
My bones cleave to my flesh and my skin, And I have scarcely escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
Have pity upon me, O ye my friends! have pity upon me; For the hand of God hath smitten me!
22 Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
Why do ye persecute me like God, And are not satisfied with my flesh?
23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were inscribed in a book!
O that my words were now written! O that they were marked down in a scroll!
24 That with an iron pen and lead they were graven in the rock for ever!
That with an iron pen, and with lead, They were engraven upon the rock for ever!
25 But I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand up at the last upon the earth:
Yet I know that my Vindicator liveth, And will hereafter stand up on the earth;
26 And after my skin hath been thus destroyed, yet from my flesh shall I see God:
And though with my skin this body be wasted away, Yet without my flesh shall I see God.
27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another. My reins are consumed within me.
Yea, I shall see him my friend; My eyes shall behold him, and not another: For this, my soul panteth within me.
28 If ye say, How we will persecute him! seeing that the root of the matter is found in me;
Since ye say, “How may we persecute him, And find grounds of accusation against him?”
29 Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath [bringeth] the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.
Be ye afraid of the sword! For malice is a crime for the sword; That ye may know that judgment cometh.

< Job 19 >