Job: I know that my Redeemer lives
Then Job replied: How long will you torment me and crush me with words? Ten times now you have reproached me; shamelessly you attack me. If it is true that I have gone astray, my error remains my concern alone. If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my humiliation against me, then know that God has wronged me and drawn his net around me. Though I cry, I have been wronged, I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice. He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; he has shrouded my paths in darkness. He has stripped me of my honour and removed the crown from my head. He tears me down on every side till I am gone; he uproots my hope like a tree. His anger burns against me; he counts me among his enemies. His troops advance in force; they build a siege ramp against me and encamp around my tent. He has alienated my family from me; my acquaintances are completely estranged from me. My relatives have gone away; my closest friends have forgotten me. My guests and my female servants count me a foreigner; they look on me as on a stranger. I summon my servant, but he does not answer, though I beg him with my own mouth. My breath is offensive to my wife; I am loathsome to my own family. Even the little boys scorn me; when I appear, they ridicule me. All my intimate friends detest me; those I love have turned against me. I am nothing but skin and bones; I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth. Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me. Why do you pursue me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh? Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll, that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever. I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes — I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me. If you say, How we will hound him, since the root of the trouble lies in him, you should fear the sword yourselves; for wrath will bring punishment by the sword, and then you will know that there is judgment.
Then Job replied:
Then Job answered and said,
How long will you torment me
and crush me with words?
How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
Ten times now you have reproached me;
shamelessly you attack me.
These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.
If it is true that I have gone astray,
my error remains my concern alone.
And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.
If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me
and use my humiliation against me,
If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:
then know that God has wronged me
and drawn his net around me.
Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.
Though I cry, I have been wronged, I get no response;
though I call for help, there is no justice.
Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;
he has shrouded my paths in darkness.
He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
He has stripped me of my honour
and removed the crown from my head.
He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
He tears me down on every side till I am gone;
he uproots my hope like a tree.
He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
His anger burns against me;
he counts me among his enemies.
He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.
His troops advance in force;
they build a siege ramp against me
and encamp around my tent.
His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.
He has alienated my family from me;
my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.
He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.
My relatives have gone away;
my closest friends have forgotten me.
My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
My guests and my female servants count me a foreigner;
they look on me as on a stranger.
They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.
I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
though I beg him with my own mouth.
I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth.
My breath is offensive to my wife;
I am loathsome to my own family.
My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children’s sake of mine own body.
Even the little boys scorn me;
when I appear, they ridicule me.
Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me.
All my intimate friends detest me;
those I love have turned against me.
All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.
I am nothing but skin and bones;
I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.
My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
Have pity on me, my friends, have pity,
for the hand of God has struck me.
Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
Why do you pursue me as God does?
Will you never get enough of my flesh?
Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
Oh, that my words were recorded,
that they were written on a scroll,
Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead,
or engraved in rock forever.
That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
I know that my Redeemer lives,
and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;
And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
I myself will see him
with my own eyes — I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me.
Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
If you say, How we will hound him,
since the root of the trouble lies in him,
But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?
you should fear the sword yourselves;
for wrath will bring punishment by the sword,
and then you will know that there is judgment.
Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.