< Job 19 >

1 Then Job answered and said,
And Job answered and said,
2 How long will you vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
How long will ye vex my soul, and crush me with words?
3 These ten times have you reproached me: you are not ashamed that you make yourselves strange to me.
These ten times have ye reproached me; ye are not ashamed to stupefy me.
4 And be it indeed that I have erred, my error remains with myself.
And be it [that] I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.
5 If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:
If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and prove against me my reproach,
6 Know now that God has overthrown me, and has compassed me with his net.
Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath surrounded me with his net.
7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
Behold, I cry out of wrong, and I am not heard; I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
8 He has fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness in my paths.
He hath hedged up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
9 He has 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 has destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and my hope has he removed like a tree.
He breaketh me down on every side, and I am gone; and my hope hath he torn up as a tree.
11 He has also kindled his wrath against me, and he counts me to him as one of his enemies.
And he hath kindled his anger against me, and hath counted me unto him as one of his enemies.
12 His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.
His troops have come together and cast up their way against me, and have encamped round about my tent.
13 He has put my brothers far from me, and my acquaintance are truly estranged from me.
He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are quite estranged from me.
14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
My kinsfolk have failed, and my known friends have forgotten me.
15 They that dwell in my house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.
The sojourners in my house and my maids count me as a stranger; I am an alien in their sight.
16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I entreated him with my mouth.
I called my servant, and he answered not; I entreated him with my mouth.
17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I entreated for the children’s sake of my own body.
My breath is strange to my wife, and my entreaties to the children of my [mother's] womb.
18 Yes, young children despised me; I arose, and they spoke against me.
Even young children despise me; I rise up, and they speak against me.
19 All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.
All my intimate friends abhor me, and they whom I loved are turned against me.
20 My bone sticks to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
My bones cleave to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21 Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends; for the hand of God has touched me.
Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
22 Why do you persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
Oh would that my words were written! oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
That with an iron style and lead they were graven in the rock for ever!
25 For I know that my redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter day on the earth:
And [as for] me, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and the Last, he shall stand upon the earth;
26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
And [if] after my skin this shall be destroyed, yet from out of my flesh shall I see God;
27 Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another: — my reins are consumed within me.
28 But you should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?
If ye say, How shall we persecute him? when the root of the matter is found in me,
29 Be you afraid of the sword: for wrath brings the punishments of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment.
Be ye yourselves afraid of the sword! for the sword is fury against misdeeds, that ye may know there is a judgment.

< Job 19 >