Job 19

1 Then responded Job, and said: —

Job replied,

2 How long will ye grieve my soul? or crush me with words?

“How long will you go on tormenting me? How long will you go on crushing me with words?

3 These ten times, have ye reviled me, Shameless ye wrong me.

Ten times already you have humiliated me. Aren't you ashamed for treating me so badly?

4 And even if indeed I have erred, with myself lodgeth mine error.

Even if I did sin, that's my problem, and has nothing to do with you.

5 If indeed, against me, ye must needs magnify yourselves, and plead, against me, my reproach.

You think you're so much better than me, and you use my degradation against me.

6 Know, then, that, God, hath overthrown me, and, within his net, enclosed me.

But you should realize that it's God who has wronged me, he has trapped me in his net.

7 Lo! I cry—out: Violence! but receive no answer, I cry aloud, but there is no vindication;

Even though I cry for help, I get no answer; even though I shout my objections, I get no justice.

8 My way, hath he walled up, that I cannot pass, and, upon my paths, hath he made darkness rest;

God has walled me in so I can't escape; he has plunged my path into darkness.

9 My glory—from off me, hath he stripped, and hath removed the crown of my head;

He has stripped my honor from me; he has taken away my reputation.

10 He hath ruined me on every side, and I am gone, and he hath taken away—like a tree—my hope;

He tears me down from all sides until I am finished; he has destroyed my hope like a tree that is uprooted.

11 Yea he hath kindled against me his anger, and accounted me towards him like unto his adversaries;

His anger burns against me; he treats me as one of his enemies.

12 Together, enter his troops and have cast up, against me, their mound, and have encamped all around my tent;

God's troops assemble to attack me. They build ramparts against me. They encircle and besiege my home.

13 My Brethren—from beside me, hath he moved far away, and, mine acquaintance, are wholly estranged from me;

He has driven my brothers far away from me; all my former friends are estranged from me.

14 Failed me, have my near of kin, and, mine intimate acquaintances, have forgotten me;

My relatives have abandoned me; my close friends have forgotten me.

15 Ye guests of my house and my maidens, A stranger, have ye accounted me, An alien, have I become in their eyes;

My house guests and my maidservants treat me as a stranger—to them I have become a foreigner.

16 To mine own servant, I called, and he would not answer, With mine own mouth, I kept entreating him;

I call my servant, but he doesn't reply. I have to beg him!

17 My breath, is strange to my wife, and I am loathsome to the sons of my own mother;

I am repulsive to my wife, and I am loathsome to my own brothers.

18 Even young children, despise me, I rise up, and they speak against me;

Even young children despise me; when I stand up they ridicule me.

19 All the men of mine intimate circle abhor me, and, these whom I loved, have turned against me;

All my closest friends despise me, and those I loved have turned on me.

20 Unto my skin and unto my flesh, have my bones cleaved, and I have escaped with the akin of my teeth.

I've been reduced to skin and bones and I survive by the skin of my teeth.

21 Pity me! pity me! ye, my friends, for, the hand of GOD, hath stricken me!

Have pity on me, my friends, have pity on me, because God has struck me down!

22 Wherefore should ye persecute me as GOD? and, with my flesh, should not he satisfied?

Why are you persecuting me like God does? Aren't you satisfied with getting your pound of flesh?

23 Oh, then, that my words, could be written, Oh that, in a record, they could be inscribed:

I wish my words could be written down, recorded in a book,

24 That, with a stylus of iron and [with] lead, for all time—in the rock, they could be graven!

or engraved with an iron pen and molten lead in the rock forever.

25 But, I, know that, my redeemer, liveth, and, as the Last over [my] dust, will he arise;

I know my Redeemer is alive, and that he shall finally take the stand for me on the earth.

26 And, though, after my skin is struck off, this [followeth], yet, apart from my flesh, shall I see GOD:

Even though my skin is destroyed, in my body I shall see God.

27 Whom, I myself, shall see, on my side, and, mine own eyes, [shall] have looked upon, and not those of a stranger. Exhausted are my deepest desires in my bosom!

I myself will see him—with my own eyes, and not those of someone else! The thought overcomes me!

28 Surely ye should say—Why should we persecute him? seeing, the root of the matter, is found in me.

You say to yourselves, ‘How can we make him suffer so he can see he is the source of his problems?’

29 Be ye afraid—on your part—of the face of the sword, because, wrath, [bringeth] the punishments of the sword, to the end ye may know the Almighty.

You yourselves should fear being punished by God, for you know anger brings God's punishment that accompanies judgment.”