Chapter 19

¹Then Job answered , and said: ²How long do you afflict my soul, and break me in pieces with words? ³Behold, these ten times you confound me, and are not ashamed to oppress me. ⁴For if I have been ignorant, my ignorance shall be with me. ⁵But you have set yourselves up against me, and reprove me with my reproaches. ⁶At least now understand, that God hath not afflicted me with an equal judgment, and compassed me with his scourges. ⁷Behold I cry suffering violence, and no one will hear: I shall cry aloud, and there is none to judge. ⁸He hath hedged in my path round about, and I cannot pass, and in my way he hath set darkness. ⁹He hath stripped me of my glory, and hath taken the crown from my head. ¹⁰He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am lost, and he hath taken away my hope, as from a tree that is plucked up. ¹¹His wrath is kindled against me, and he hath counted me as his enemy. ¹²His troops have come together, and have made themselves a way by me, and have besieged my tabernacle round about. ¹³He hath put my brethren far from me, and my acquaintance like strangers have departed from me. ¹⁴My kinsmen have forsaken me, and they that knew me, have forgotten me. ¹⁵They that dwelt in my house, and my maidservants have counted me a stranger, and I have been like an alien in their eyes. ¹⁶I called my servant, and he gave me no answer, I entreated him with my own mouth. ¹⁷My wife hath abhorred my breath, and I entreated the children of my womb. ¹⁸Even fools despise me; and when I gone from them, they spoke against me. ¹⁹They that were sometime my counsellors, have abhorred me: and he whom I love most is turned against me. ²⁰The flesh being consumed. My bone hath cleaved to my skin, and nothing but lips are left about my teeth. ²¹Have pity on me, have pity on me, at least you my friends, because the hand of the Lord hath touched me. ²²Why do you persecute me as God, and glut yourselves with my flesh? ²³Who will grant me that my words may be written? Who will grant me that they may be marked down in a book? ²⁴With an iron pen and in a plate of lead, or else be graven with an instrument in flint stone. ²⁵For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and in the last day I shall rise out of the earth. ²⁶And I shall be clothed again with my skin, and in my flesh I will see my God. ²⁷Whom I myself shall see, and my eyes shall behold, and not another: this my hope is laid up in my bosom. ²⁸Why then do you say now: Let us persecute him, and let us find occasion of word against him? ²⁹Flee then from the face of the sword, for the sword is the revenger of iniquities: and know ye that there is judgment.