King James Version KJV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 Then Job answered and said,
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Then Job answered:
2 How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
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"How long will you torment me, and break me in pieces with words?
3 These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.
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These ten times you have cast reproach upon me; are you not ashamed to wrong me?
4 And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.
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And even if it be true that I have erred, my error remains with myself.
5 If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:
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If indeed you magnify yourselves against me, and make my humiliation an argument against me,
6 Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.
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know then that God has put me in the wrong, and closed his net about me.
7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
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Behold, I cry out, 'Violence!' but I am not answered; I call aloud, but there is no justice.
8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
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He has walled up my way, so that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness upon my paths.
9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
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He has stripped from me my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
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He breaks me down on every side, and I am gone, and my hope has he pulled up like a tree.
11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.
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He has kindled his wrath against me, and counts me as his adversary.
12 His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.
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His troops come on together; they have cast up siegeworks against me, and encamp round about my tent.
13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.
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"He has put my brethren far from me, and my acquaintances are wholly estranged from me.
14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
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My kinsfolk and my close friends have failed me;
15 They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.
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the guests in my house have forgotten me; my maidservants count me as a stranger; I have become an alien in their eyes.
16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth.
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I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer; I must beseech him with my mouth.
17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body.
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I am repulsive to my wife, loathsome to the sons of my own mother.
18 Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me.
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Even young children despise me; when I rise they talk against me.
19 All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.
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All my intimate friends abhor me, and those whom I loved have turned against me.
20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
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My bones cleave to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
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Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me!
22 Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
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Why do you, like God, pursue me? Why are you not satisfied with my flesh?
23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
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"Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
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Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were graven in the rock for ever!
25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
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For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last he will stand upon the earth;
26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
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and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh I shall see God,
27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
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whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!
28 But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?
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If you say, 'How we will pursue him!' and, 'The root of the matter is found in him';
29 Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.
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be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishment of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment."
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.