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.19.3 make…: or, harden yourselves against me 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.19.7 wrong: or, violence
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.19.17 mine…: Heb. my belly 18Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me.19.18 young…: or, the wicked 19All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.19.19 my…: Heb. the men of my secret 20My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.19.20 and to: or, as to 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!19.23 Oh…: Heb. Who will give, etc 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:19.26 And…: or, After I shall awake, though this body be destroyed, yet out of my flesh 27Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.19.27 another: Heb. a stranger19.27 though…: or, my reins within me are consumed with earnest desire (for that day)19.27 within…: Heb. in my bosom 28But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?19.28 seeing…: or, and what root of matter is found in me? 29Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.
Job’s Reply
1Job replied,
2“How long will you people make me suffer?
How long will you crush me with your words?
3You have already accused me many times.
You have attacked me without feeling any shame.
4Suppose it’s true that I’ve gone down the wrong path.
Then it’s my concern, not yours.
5Suppose you want to place yourselves above me.
Suppose you want to use my shame to prove I’m wrong.
6Then I want you to know that God hasn’t treated me right.
In fact, he has captured me in his net.
7“I cry out, ‘Someone harmed me!’
But I don’t get any reply.
I call out for help.
But I’m not treated fairly.
8God has blocked my way, and I can’t get through.
He has made my paths so dark I can’t see where I’m going.
9He has taken my wealth away from me.
He has stripped me of my honor.
10He tears me down on every side until I’m gone.
He pulls up the roots of my hope as if I were a tree.
11His anger burns against me.
He thinks I’m one of his enemies.
12His troops march toward me in force.
They come at me from every direction.
They camp around my tent.
13“God has caused my family to desert me.
The people I used to know are now strangers to me.
14My relatives have gone away.
My closest friends have forgotten me.
15My guests and my female servants think of me as a stranger.
They look at me as if I were an outsider.
16I send for my servant, but he doesn’t answer.
He doesn’t come, even though I beg him to.
17My wife can’t stand the way my breath smells.
My own family won’t have anything to do with me.
18Even little children mock me.
When I appear, they make fun of me.
19All my close friends hate me.
Those I love have turned against me.
20I’m nothing but skin and bones.
I’ve barely escaped death.
21“Have pity on me, my friends! Please have pity!
God has struck me down with his powerful hand.
22Why do you chase after me as he does?
Aren’t you satisfied with what you have done to me already?
23“I wish my words were written down!
I wish they were written in a book!
24I wish they were cut into lead with an iron tool!
I wish they were carved in rock forever!
25I know that my redeemer lives.
In the end he will stand on the earth.
26Though my skin will be destroyed,
in my body I’ll see God.
27I myself will see him with my own eyes.
I’ll see him, and he won’t be a stranger to me.
How my heart longs for that day!
28“You might say, ‘Let’s keep bothering Job.
After all, he’s the cause of all his suffering.’
29But you should be afraid when God comes to judge you.
He’ll be angry. He’ll punish you with his sword.
Then you will know that he is the Judge.”
