Job 19
Job Trusts in His Redeemer
1 Then Job answered and said: Then Job answered and said:2 How long will you torment my soul, And break me in pieces with words?3 These ten times you have reproached me; You are not ashamed that you have wronged me.4 And if indeed I have erred, My error remains with me.5 If indeed you exalt yourselves against me, And plead my disgrace against me,6 Know then that God has wronged me, And has surrounded me with His net.7 If I cry out concerning wrong, I am not heard. If I cry aloud, there is no justice.8 He has fenced up my way, so that I cannot pass; And He has set darkness in my paths.9 He has stripped me of my glory, And taken the crown from my head.10 He breaks me down on every side, And I am gone; My hope He has uprooted like a tree.11 He has also kindled His wrath against me, And He counts me as one of His enemies.12 His troops come together And build up their road against me; They encamp all around my tent.13 He has removed my brothers far from me, And my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.14 My relatives have failed, And my close friends have forgotten me.15 Those who dwell in my house, and my maidservants, Count me as a stranger; I am an alien in their sight.16 I call my servant, but he gives no answer; I beg him with my mouth.17 My breath is offensive to my wife, And I am repulsive to the children of my own body.18 Even young children despise me; I arise, and they speak against me.19 All my close friends abhor me, And those whom I love have turned against me.20 My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh, And I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.21 Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, For the hand of God has struck me!22 Why do you persecute me as God does, And are not satisfied with my flesh?23 Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!24 That they were engraved on a rock With an iron pen and lead, forever!25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God,27 Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!28 If you should say, How shall we persecute him? Since the root of the matter is found in me,29 Be afraid of the sword for yourselves; For wrath brings the punishment of the sword, That you may know there is a judgment.
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