Job 19

1 Then Job answered, and said:

Then Job answered and said,

2 How long do you afflict my soul, and break me in pieces with words?

How long will you vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?

3 Behold, these ten times you confound me, and are not ashamed to oppress me.

These ten times have you reproached me: you are not ashamed that you make yourselves strange to me.

4 For if I have been ignorant, my ignorance shall be with me.

And be it indeed that I have erred, my error remains with myself.

5 But you have set yourselves up against me, and reprove me with my reproaches.

If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:

6 At least now understand, that God hath not afflicted me with an equal judgment, and compassed me with his scourges.

Know now that God has overthrown me, and has compassed me with his net.

7 Behold I cry suffering violence, and no one will hear: I shall cry aloud, and there is none to judge.

Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.

8 He hath hedged in my path round about, and I cannot pass, and in my way he hath set darkness.

He has fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness in my paths.

9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and hath taken the crown from my head.

He has stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.

10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am lost, and he hath taken away my hope, as from a tree that is plucked up.

He has destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and my hope has he removed like a tree.

11 His wrath is kindled against me, and he hath counted me as his enemy.

He has also kindled his wrath against me, and he counts me to him as one of his enemies.

12 His troops have come together, and have made themselves a way by me, and have besieged my tabernacle round about.

His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.

13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and my acquaintance like strangers have departed from me.

He has put my brothers far from me, and my acquaintance are truly estranged from me.

14 My kinsmen have forsaken me, and they that knew me, have forgotten me.

My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.

15 They that dwelt in my house, and my maidservants have counted me a stranger, and I have been like an alien in their eyes.

They that dwell in my house, and my maids, count me for 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 own mouth.

I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I entreated him with my mouth.

17 My wife hath abhorred my breath, and I entreated the children of my womb.

My breath is strange to my wife, though I entreated for the children’s sake of my own body.

18 Even fools despise me; and when I gone from them, they spoke against me.

Yes, young children despised me; I arose, and they spoke against me.

19 They that were sometime my counsellors, have abhorred me: and he whom I love most is turned against me.

All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.

20 The flesh being consumed. My bone hath cleaved to my skin, and nothing but lips are left about my teeth.

My bone sticks 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, at least you my friends, because the hand of the Lord hath touched me.

Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends; for the hand of God has touched me.

22 Why do you persecute me as God, and glut yourselves with my flesh?

Why do you persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?

23 Who will grant me that my words may be written? Who will grant me that they may be marked down in a book?

Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!

24 With an iron pen and in a plate of lead, or else be graven with an instrument in flint stone.

That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!

25 For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and in the last day I shall rise out of the earth.

For I know that my redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter day on the earth:

26 And I shall be clothed again with my skin, and in my flesh I will see my God.

And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

27 Whom I myself shall see, and my eyes shall behold, and not another: this my hope is laid up in my bosom.

Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

28 Why then do you say now: Let us persecute him, and let us find occasion of word against him?

But you should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?

29 Flee then from the face of the sword, for the sword is the revenger of iniquities: and know ye that there is judgment.

Be you afraid of the sword: for wrath brings the punishments of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment.