Job 19

1 Then Job answered:

2 “How long will you torment me and crush me with your words?

3 Ten times now you have reproached me; you shamelessly mistreat me.

4 Even if I have truly gone astray, my error concerns me alone.

5 If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my disgrace against me,

6 then understand that it is God who has wronged me and drawn His net around me.

7 Though I cry out, ‘Violence!’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice.

8 He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; He has veiled my paths with darkness.

9 He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head.

10 He tears me down on every side until I am gone; He uproots my hope like a tree.

11 His anger burns against me, and He counts me among His enemies.

12 His troops advance together; they construct a ramp against me and encamp around my tent.

13 He has removed my brothers from me; my acquaintances have abandoned me.

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

15 My guests and maidservants count me as a stranger; I am a foreigner in their sight.

16 I call for my servant, but he does not answer, though I implore him with my own mouth.

17 My breath is repulsive to my wife, and I am loathsome to my own family.

18 Even little boys scorn me; when I appear, they deride me.

19 All my best friends despise me, and those I love have turned against me.

20 My skin and flesh cling to my bones; I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.

21 Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.

22 Why do you persecute me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh?

23 I wish that my words were recorded and inscribed in a book,

24 by an iron stylus on lead, or chiseled in stone forever.

25 But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth.

26 Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.

27 I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me!

28 If you say, ‘Let us persecute him, since the root of the matter lies with him,’

29 then you should fear the sword yourselves, because wrath brings punishment by the sword, so that you may know there is a judgment.”

1 ¶ Then Job answered and said,

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

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

4 And be it indeed [that] I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.

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

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

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

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

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

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

11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth 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.

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

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

15 They that dwell in mine 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 intreated him with my mouth.

17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's [sake] of mine own body.

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

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

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

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

22 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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

1 Job answered and said:

2 Why do ye trouble my soul, and torment me with words?

3 Ye have now heard me ten times, and are not ashamed that ye compass me about thus.

4 If I am wrong, I am wrong.

5 But ye truly exalt yourselves against me, and reproach me to my shame.

6 Behold, God hath wronged me once, and hath compassed me about with his snare.

7 Behold, though I cry for iniquity, yet am I not heard; I cry, and there is no justice.

8 He hath hedged up my way, that I should not pass over: he hath put darkness in my path.

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

10 He hath broken me over and over, and let me go, and plucked up my hope like a tree.

11 His wrath is kindled against me, and he esteemeth me his enemy.

12 His men of war came together, and paved their way over me, and encamped round about my tabernacle.

13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and my kinsmen are strangers unto me.

14 My neighbours have withdrawn themselves, and my friends have forgotten me.

15 My household and my handmaidens think me a stranger: I am become unknown in their sight.

16 I called unto my servant, and he answered me not: I besought him with my own mouth.

17 My wife is a stranger when I call unto her: I beseech the children of my womb.

18 Even the young children give no heed unto me: if I sit down against them, they give me evil words.

19 All my faithful have abhorred me: and they whom I have loved have turned against me.

20 My bones cleave to my skin and my flesh, and my teeth cannot be covered with my skin.

21 Have mercy upon me, have mercy upon me, ye my friends: for the hand of GOD hath touched me.

22 Why persecutest thou me as well as God, and canst not be satisfied with my flesh?

23 Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were written in a book!

24 would be hewn with an iron stylus upon lead, and into a rock for everlasting remembrance!

25 But I know that my Redeemer liveth; and he shall raise me up from the earth afterward;

26 And afterward I will be surrounded with this skin of mine, and I will see God in my flesh.

27 I will see him, and mine eyes shall behold him, and no stranger. My kidneys are consumed in my bosom.

28 For ye say, How shall we pursue him, and find a cause unto him?

29 Fear the sword: for the sword is the wrath of iniquity, that ye may know judgment.