Job 19
Job
1 Then Job replied:
2 "How long will you torment me
and crush me with words?
3 Ten times now you have reproached me;
shamelessly you attack me.
4 If it is true that I have gone astray,
my error remains my concern alone.
5 If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me
and use my humiliation against me,
6 then know that God has wronged me
and drawn his net around me.
7 "Though I cry, '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 shrouded my paths in darkness.
9 He has stripped me of my honor
and removed the crown from my head.
10 He tears me down on every side till I am gone;
he uproots my hope like a tree.
11 His anger burns against me;
he counts me among his enemies.
12 His troops advance in force;
they build a siege ramp against me
and encamp around my tent.
13 "He has alienated my family from me;
my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.
14 My relatives have gone away;
my closest friends have forgotten me.
15 My guests and my female servants count me a foreigner;
they look on me as on a stranger.
16 I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
though I beg him with my own mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife;
I am loathsome to my own family.
18 Even the little boys scorn me;
when I appear, they ridicule me.
19 All my intimate friends detest me;
those I love have turned against me.
20 I am nothing but skin and bones;
I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.t
21 "Have pity on me, my friends, have pity,
for the hand of God has struck me.
22 Why do you pursue me as God does?
Will you never get enough of my flesh?
23 "Oh, that my words were recorded,
that they were written on a scroll,
24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool ont lead,
or engraved in rock forever!
25 I know that my redeemert lives,
and that in the end he will stand on the earth.t
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
yett int my flesh I will see God;
27 I myself will see him
with my own eyes—I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!
28 "If you say, 'How we will hound him,
since the root of the trouble lies in him,t'
29 you should fear the sword yourselves;
for wrath will bring punishment by the sword,
and then you will know that there is judgment.t"
Job 19
Job’s Reply to Bildad
1 Then Job answered:
2 “How long will you torment met
and crusht me with your words?t
3 These ten timess you have been reproaching me;t
you are not ashamed to attack me!t
4 But even if it weret true that I have erred,t
my errort remains solely my concern!
5 If indeedt you would exalt yourselvest above me
and plead my disgrace against me,s
6 knowt then that God has wronged met
and encircledt me with his net.t
Job’s Abandonment and Affliction
7 “Ift I cry out,s ‘Violence!’t
I receive no answer;t
I cry for help,
but there is no justice.
8 He has blockedt my way so I cannot pass,
and has set darknesst over my paths.
9 He has stripped me of my honor
and has taken the crown off my head.s
10 He tears me downt on every side until I perish;t
he uprootst my hopet like one uprootst a tree.
11 Thust his anger burns against me,
and he considers me among his enemies.t
12 His troopss advance together;
they throw upt a siege ramp against me,
and they camp around my tent.
Job’s Forsaken State
13 “He has put my relativest far from me;
my acquaintances onlyt turn away from me.
14 My kinsmen have failed me;
my friendst have forgotten me.t
15 My guestst and my servant girls
considert me a stranger;
I am a foreignert in their eyes.
16 I summont my servant, but he does not respond,
even though I imploret him with my own mouth.
17 My breath is repulsivet to my wife;
I am loathsomet to my brothers.t
18 Even youngsters have scorned me;
when I get up,s they scoff at me.t
19 All my closest friendst detest me;
and those whomt I love have turned against me.t
20 My bones stick to my skin and my flesh;t
I have escapedt alivet with only the skin of my teeth.
21 Have pity on me, my friends, have pity on me,
for the hand of God has struck me.
22 Why do you pursue me like God does?s
Will you never be satiated with my flesh?s
Job’s Assurance of Vindication
23 “O thatt my words were written down,
O that they were written on a scroll,t
24 that with an iron chisel and with leads
they were engraved in a rock forever!
25 As for me, I know that my Redeemert lives,
and that as the lastt
he will stand upon the earth.t
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,t
yet in my flesht I will see God,t
27 whom I will see for myself,t
and whom my own eyes will behold,
and not another.t
My heartt grows faint within me.t
28 If you say, ‘How we will pursue him,
since the root of the trouble is found in him!’s
29 Fear the sword yourselves,
for wratht brings the punishmentt by the sword,
so that you may know
that there is judgment.”s
