< Job 19 >

1 Then Job answered,
And Job answered and said,
2 "How long will you torment me, and crush me with words?
How long will ye vex my soul, and crush me with words?
3 You have reproached me ten times. You aren't ashamed that you attack me.
These ten times have ye reproached me; ye are not ashamed to stupefy me.
4 If it is true 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 my disgrace against me;
If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and prove against me my reproach,
6 know now that God has subverted me, and has surrounded me with his net.
Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath surrounded me with his net.
7 "Look, I cry out 'Injustice.' but there is no justice.
Behold, I cry out of wrong, and I am not heard; I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
8 He has walled up my way so that I can't pass, and 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 broken me down on every side, and I am gone. My hope he has plucked up 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. He counts me among his adversaries.
And he hath kindled his anger against me, and hath counted me unto him as one of his enemies.
12 His troops come on together, build a siege ramp against me, and camp around my tent.
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. My acquaintances are wholly estranged from me.
He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are quite estranged from me.
14 My relatives have gone away. My familiar friends have forgotten me.
My kinsfolk have failed, and my known friends have forgotten me.
15 Those who dwell in my house, and my maids, count me for a stranger. I am a foreigner 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 call to my servant, and he gives me no answer. I beg him with my mouth.
I called my servant, and he answered not; I entreated him with my mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife. I am loathsome to the children of my own mother.
My breath is strange to my wife, and my entreaties to the children of my [mother's] womb.
18 Even young children despise me. If I arise, they speak against me.
Even young children despise me; I rise up, and they speak against me.
19 All my familiar friends abhor me. They whom I loved have turned against me.
All my intimate friends abhor me, and they whom I loved are turned against me.
20 My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh. I have escaped by 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, 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 inscribed in a scroll.
Oh would that my words were written! oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24 That with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever.
That with an iron style and lead they were graven in the rock for ever!
25 But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives. In the end, he will stand upon the earth.
And [as for] me, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and the Last, he shall stand upon the earth;
26 After my skin is destroyed, then 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, even I, shall see on my side. My eyes shall see, and not as a stranger. My heart is consumed within me.
Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another: — my reins are consumed within me.
28 If you say, 'How we will persecute him, because the root of the matter is found in him.'
If ye say, How shall we persecute him? when the root of the matter is found in me,
29 Be 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 >