Job 19

1 Then Job answered and said,

Then Job answered and said,

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

How long will you vex my soul, and destroy me with words? only know that the Lord has dealt with me thus.

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

You speak against me; you do not feel for me, but bear hard upon me.

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

Yes verily, I have erred in truth, (but the error abides with myself) in having spoken words which it was not right [to speak]; and my words err, and are unreasonable.

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

But alas! for you magnify yourselves against me, and insult me with reproach.

6 Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath surrounded me with his net.

Know then that it is the Lord that has troubled [me], and has raised his bulwark against me.

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

Behold, I laugh at reproach; I will not speak: [or] I will cry out, but [there is] nowhere judgement.

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

I am fenced round about, and can by no means escape: he has set darkness before my face.

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

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

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

He has torn me around about, and I am gone: and he has cut off my hope like a tree.

11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me to him as one of his enemies.

And he has dreadfully handled me in anger, and has counted me for an enemy.

12 His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp around my tent.

His troops also came upon me with one accord, liars in wait compassed my ways.

13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and my acquaintance are verily estranged from me.

My brethren have stood aloof from me; they have recognised strangers [rather] than me: and my friends have become pitiless.

14 My kinsmen have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.

My nearest of kin have not acknowledged me, and they that knew my name, 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.

[As for] my household, and my maidservants, I was a stranger before them.

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

I called my servant, and he listened not; and my mouth entreated [him].

17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I make supplication to the children of my own body.

And I implored my wife, and earnestly entreated the sons of my concubines.

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

But they rejected me for ever; whenever I rise up, they speak against me.

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

They that saw me abhorred me: the very persons whom I had loved, rose up against me.

20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped with the skin of my teeth.

My flesh is corrupt under my skin, and my bones are held in [my] teeth.

21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.

Pity me, pity me, O friends; for it is the hand of the Lord that has touched me.

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

Therefore do you persecute me as also the Lord [does], and are not satisfied with my flesh?

23 O that my words were now written! O that they were printed in a book!

For oh that my words were written, and that they were recorded in a book forever,

24 That they were engraved with an iron pen in lead in the rock for ever!

with an iron pen and lead, or graven in the rocks!

25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

For I know that he is eternal who is about to deliver me,

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

[and] to raise up upon the earth my skin that endures these [sufferings]: for these things have been accomplished to me of the Lord;

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

which I am conscious of in myself, which mine eye has seen, and not another, but all have been fulfilled to me in [my] bosom.

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

But if you shall also say, What shall we say before him, and [so] find the root of the matter in him?

29 Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.

Do you also beware of deceit: for wrath will come upon transgressors; and then shall they know where their substance is.