Job 19

And Job answered and said, 2 “Until when will you afflict my soul and crush me with words? \* 3 These ten times you have reproached me; you are not ashamed, you mistreat me. 4 And even {if} truly I have erred, my error remains with me. \* 5 If truly you will exalt yourselves above me and plead my disgrace against me, 6 then know that God has wronged me, and his net has closed around me. \* 7 Behold, I cry, ‘Violence!’ but I am not answered; I call for help, but {there is} no justice. 8 He has walled up my way and I do not pass, and he has set darkness upon my paths. 9 He has stripped my glory from upon me, and he has removed the crown of my head. \* 10 He has broken me down on every side, and I have gone away, and he has removed my hope like a tree. 11 And he has kindled his nose against me, and he regards me as an enemy to him. 12 His troops come together, and they build up their ramps against me, and they encamp around my tent. \* 13 He has put my brothers far from me, and my acquaintances indeed have turned away from me. 14 My kin have forsaken me, and my familiar friends have forgotten me. \* 15 Guests of my house and my female servants regard me as a stranger; I have become a foreigner in their eyes. 16 I call to my servant, but he does not answer; with my mouth I entreat him. \* 17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I was gracious to the sons of my womb. 18 Even young children despise me; let me arise, and they speak against me. 19 All of the friends of my counsel abhor me, and those I love have been turned against me. \* 20 My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped with the skin of my teeth. 21 Pity me, pity me, you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me. 22 Why do you pursue me as God {would}? And will you not be satisfied with my flesh? \* 23 Who will give {that} now my words will be written down? Who will give {that} they will be inscribed on a scroll? 24 With a stylus of iron and {with} lead may they be engraved on a rock forever! \* 25 But I know {that} my redeemer lives, and {that at} the last he will stand upon the dust, 26 and {that} after my skin, they strike this off, yet from my flesh I will behold God, 27 whom I will behold for myself and my eyes will see, and not a stranger. My kidneys fail within my belly. \* 28 If you say, ‘How we will persecute him! For the root of the matter is found in me,’ 29 be afraid for yourselves of the face of the sword, for {from} wrath {is} the punishment of the sword, so that you will know that there is judgment.” \*