17 My spirit(A) is broken,
    my days are cut short,(B)
    the grave awaits me.(C)
Surely mockers(D) surround me;(E)
    my eyes must dwell on their hostility.

“Give me, O God, the pledge you demand.(F)
    Who else will put up security(G) for me?(H)
You have closed their minds to understanding;(I)
    therefore you will not let them triumph.
If anyone denounces their friends for reward,(J)
    the eyes of their children will fail.(K)

“God has made me a byword(L) to everyone,(M)
    a man in whose face people spit.(N)
My eyes have grown dim with grief;(O)
    my whole frame is but a shadow.(P)
The upright are appalled at this;
    the innocent are aroused(Q) against the ungodly.
Nevertheless, the righteous(R) will hold to their ways,
    and those with clean hands(S) will grow stronger.(T)

10 “But come on, all of you, try again!
    I will not find a wise man among you.(U)
11 My days have passed,(V) my plans are shattered.
    Yet the desires of my heart(W)
12 turn night into day;(X)
    in the face of the darkness light is near.(Y)
13 If the only home I hope for is the grave,(Z)
    if I spread out my bed(AA) in the realm of darkness,(AB)
14 if I say to corruption,(AC) ‘You are my father,’
    and to the worm,(AD) ‘My mother’ or ‘My sister,’
15 where then is my hope—(AE)
    who can see any hope for me?(AF)
16 Will it go down to the gates of death?(AG)
    Will we descend together into the dust?”(AH)

Bildad

18 Then Bildad the Shuhite(AI) replied:

“When will you end these speeches?(AJ)
    Be sensible, and then we can talk.
Why are we regarded as cattle(AK)
    and considered stupid in your sight?(AL)
You who tear yourself(AM) to pieces in your anger,(AN)
    is the earth to be abandoned for your sake?
    Or must the rocks be moved from their place?(AO)

“The lamp of a wicked man is snuffed out;(AP)
    the flame of his fire stops burning.(AQ)
The light in his tent(AR) becomes dark;(AS)
    the lamp beside him goes out.(AT)
The vigor(AU) of his step is weakened;(AV)
    his own schemes(AW) throw him down.(AX)
His feet thrust him into a net;(AY)
    he wanders into its mesh.
A trap seizes him by the heel;
    a snare(AZ) holds him fast.(BA)
10 A noose(BB) is hidden for him on the ground;
    a trap(BC) lies in his path.(BD)
11 Terrors(BE) startle him on every side(BF)
    and dog(BG) his every step.
12 Calamity(BH) is hungry(BI) for him;
    disaster(BJ) is ready for him when he falls.(BK)
13 It eats away parts of his skin;(BL)
    death’s firstborn devours his limbs.(BM)
14 He is torn from the security of his tent(BN)
    and marched off to the king(BO) of terrors.(BP)
15 Fire resides[a] in his tent;(BQ)
    burning sulfur(BR) is scattered over his dwelling.
16 His roots dry up below(BS)
    and his branches wither above.(BT)
17 The memory of him perishes from the earth;(BU)
    he has no name(BV) in the land.(BW)
18 He is driven from light into the realm of darkness(BX)
    and is banished(BY) from the world.(BZ)
19 He has no offspring(CA) or descendants(CB) among his people,
    no survivor(CC) where once he lived.(CD)
20 People of the west are appalled(CE) at his fate;(CF)
    those of the east are seized with horror.
21 Surely such is the dwelling(CG) of an evil man;(CH)
    such is the place(CI) of one who does not know God.”(CJ)

Job

19 Then Job replied:

“How long will you torment(CK) me
    and crush(CL) me with words?
Ten times(CM) now you have reproached(CN) me;
    shamelessly you attack me.
If it is true that I have gone astray,
    my error(CO) remains my concern alone.
If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me(CP)
    and use my humiliation against me,
then know that God has wronged me(CQ)
    and drawn his net(CR) around me.(CS)

“Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response;(CT)
    though I call for help,(CU) there is no justice.(CV)
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;(CW)
    he has shrouded my paths in darkness.(CX)
He has stripped(CY) me of my honor(CZ)
    and removed the crown from my head.(DA)
10 He tears me down(DB) on every side till I am gone;
    he uproots my hope(DC) like a tree.(DD)
11 His anger(DE) burns against me;
    he counts me among his enemies.(DF)
12 His troops advance in force;(DG)
    they build a siege ramp(DH) against me
    and encamp around my tent.(DI)

13 “He has alienated my family(DJ) from me;
    my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.(DK)
14 My relatives have gone away;
    my closest friends(DL) have forgotten me.
15 My guests(DM) and my female servants(DN) count me a foreigner;
    they look on me as on a stranger.
16 I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
    though I beg him with my own mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife;
    I am loathsome(DO) to my own family.
18 Even the little boys(DP) scorn me;
    when I appear, they ridicule me.(DQ)
19 All my intimate friends(DR) detest me;(DS)
    those I love have turned against me.(DT)
20 I am nothing but skin and bones;(DU)
    I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.[b]

21 “Have pity on me, my friends,(DV) have pity,
    for the hand of God has struck(DW) me.
22 Why do you pursue(DX) me as God does?(DY)
    Will you never get enough of my flesh?(DZ)

23 “Oh, that my words were recorded,
    that they were written on a scroll,(EA)
24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool(EB) on[c] lead,
    or engraved in rock forever!(EC)
25 I know that my redeemer[d](ED) lives,(EE)
    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.[e]
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
    yet[f] in[g] my flesh I will see God;(EF)
27 I myself will see him
    with my own eyes(EG)—I, and not another.
    How my heart yearns(EH) within me!

28 “If you say, ‘How we will hound(EI) him,
    since the root of the trouble lies in him,[h]
29 you should fear the sword yourselves;
    for wrath will bring punishment by the sword,(EJ)
    and then you will know that there is judgment.[i](EK)

Footnotes

  1. Job 18:15 Or Nothing he had remains
  2. Job 19:20 Or only by my gums
  3. Job 19:24 Or and
  4. Job 19:25 Or vindicator
  5. Job 19:25 Or on my grave
  6. Job 19:26 Or And after I awake, / though this body has been destroyed, / then
  7. Job 19:26 Or destroyed, / apart from
  8. Job 19:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts me
  9. Job 19:29 Or sword, / that you may come to know the Almighty

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