Job 19

1Then Job answered and said,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.

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

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

15They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.

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

17My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children’s sake of mine own body.footnote c

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

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

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

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

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

23Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!footnote g

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

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

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

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

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

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

Job: My Redeemer Lives

1Then Job answered:

2“How long will you torment meand crush me with your words? 3Ten times now you have reproached me;you shamelessly mistreat me. 4Even if I have truly gone astray,my error concerns me alone. 5If indeed you would exalt yourselves above meand use my disgrace against me, 6then understand that it is God who has wronged meand drawn His net around me.

7Though I cry out, ‘Violence!’ I get no response;though I call for help, there is no justice. 8He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;He has veiled my paths with darkness. 9He has stripped me of my honorand removed the crown from my head. 10He tears me down on every side until I am gone;He uproots my hope like a tree. 11His anger burns against me,and He counts me among His enemies. 12His troops advance together;they construct a ramp against meand encamp around my tent.

13He has removed my brothers from me;my acquaintances have abandoned me. 14My kinsmen have failed me,and my friends have forgotten me. 15My guests and maidservants count me as a stranger;I am a foreigner in their sight. 16I call for my servant, but he does not answer,though I implore him with my own mouth. 17My breath is repulsive to my wife,and I am loathsome to my own family. 18Even little boys scorn me;when I appear, they deride me. 19All my best friends despise me,and those I love have turned against me. 20My skin and flesh cling to my bones;I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.

21Have pity on me, my friends, have pity,for the hand of God has struck me. 22Why do you persecute me as God does?Will you never get enough of my flesh?

23I wish that my words were recordedand inscribed in a book, 24by an iron stylus on lead,or chiseled in stone forever. 25But I know that my Redeemerfootnote alives,and in the end He will stand upon the earth.footnote b 26Even after my skin has been destroyed,yet in my fleshfootnote cI will see God. 27I will see Him for myself;my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger.How my heart yearnsfootnote dwithin me!

28If you say, ‘Let us persecute him,since the root of the matter lies with him,footnote e’ 29then you should fear the sword yourselves,because wrath brings punishment by the sword,so that you may know there is a judgment.”