Job 19
1 Then Job replied:
Then Job answered and said:
2 “How long will you [three] torment me and crush my spirit by saying to me [that I am wicked]?
How long will ye vex my soul, and crush me with words?
3 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]
These ten times have ye reproached me; ye are not ashamed that ye deal harshly with me.
4 Even if it were true that I have done things that are wrong, I have not injured you!
And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.
5 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),
If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach;
6 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.
Know now that God hath subverted my cause, and hath compassed me with His net.
7 “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.
Behold, I cry out: 'Violence!' but I am not heard; I cry aloud, but there is no justice.
8 [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.
He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and hath set darkness in my paths.
9 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.
He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
10 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].
He hath broken me down on every side, and I am gone; and my hope hath He plucked up like a tree.
11 He attacks me because he is extremely angry with me [MET], and he considers that I am his enemy.
He hath also kindled His wrath against me, and He counteth me unto Him as one of His adversaries.
12 [It is as though] he sends his army to attack me; they surround my tent, preparing to attack me.
His troops come on together, and cast up their way against me, and encamp round about my tent.
13 “God has caused my brothers to abandon me, and all those who know me act like strangers to me.
He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are wholly estranged from me.
14 All my relatives and good friends have left me.
My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
15 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.
They that dwell in my house, and my maids, count me for a stranger; I am become an alien in their sight.
16 When I summon my servants, they do not answer; I plead with them to come [to help me, but they do not come].
I call unto my servant, and he giveth me no answer, though I entreat him with my mouth.
17 My wife does not want to come close to me because my breath [smells very bad], and even my brothers detest me.
My breath is abhorred of my wife, and I am loathsome to the children of my tribe.
18 Even young children despise me; when I stand up [to talk to them], they laugh at me.
Even urchins despised me; if I arise, they speak against me.
19 My dearest friends detest me, and those whom I love [very much] have turned against me.
All my intimate friends abhor me; and they whom I loved are turned against me.
20 My body is [only] skin and bones; I am barely alive [IDM].
My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21 [“I plead with] you, my [three] friends, pity me, because God has (struck [EUP] me with his hand/caused me to suffer greatly).
Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
22 Why do you cause me to suffer like God does? Why do you continue to slander [MET] me?
Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
23 “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].
Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24 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.
That with an iron pen and lead they were graven in the rock for ever!
25 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].
But as for me, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He will witness at the last upon the dust;
26 And even after diseases have eaten away my skin, while I still have my body, I will see God.
And when after my skin this is destroyed, then without my flesh shall I see God;
27 I will see him myself; I will see him with my own eyes! I am overwhelmed [as I think about that]!
Whom I, even I, shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another's. My reins are consumed within me.
28 “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],’
If ye say: 'How we will persecute him!' seeing that the root of the matter is found in me;
29 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].”
Be ye afraid of the sword; for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.
