Job Responds to Bildad

1In response, Job said:

2“How long do you intend to keep torturing me

and trying to break me by what you’re saying?

3Ten times you’ve tried to humiliate me!

You’re not ashamed to wrong me!

4Even if it’s true that I’ve erred,

my error only affects me.

5If you really intend to vaunt yourselves over me,

and make my problems the basis of your case against me,

6then at least you must know that God has accused me of wrong,

and trapped me with his net.”

Job Accuses God of Being Angry

7“Although I cried out ‘Violence!’

I received no answer;

I cried for help,

but there was no justice.

8He blocked my path,

so I cannot pass;

and he turned out the lights on my pathways.

9“He has stripped me of my honor;

he has stolen the crown off my head!

10He is breaking me down on every side,

and now it’s too late for me;a

he has uprooted my hopes like a tree.

11His anger burns against me;

he regards me as his adversary.

12His troops marchb in a columnc against me,

erecting their siege ramps against me;

they surround my tent.”

Job’s Family and Friends Abandoned Him

13“My brothers are alienated from me;

my acquaintances are estranged;

14my relatives have failed me;

and my friendsd have abandoned me.

15Those who live in my house—

and my maidservants, too!—

treat me like a stranger;

they think I’m a foreigner.

16“I call to my servant,

but he doesn’t respond,

even though I beg to him earnestly.e

17My wife says my breath stinks;

even my children say I smell bad!

18Even little children hate me;

when I get up, they mock me.

19My closest friendsf detest me;

even the ones I love have turned against me.

20I’m a pile of skin and bones;

I have barely escaped by the skin of my teeth.”

Job Pleads with His Friends

21“Be gracious to me, be gracious to me, my friends,

because God’s hand has struck me.

22Why are you chasing me, as God has been doing?

Aren’t you satisfied that I’m sick?g

23If only my words were written down;

if only they were inscribed in a book

24using an iron stylus with lead for ink!

Then they’d be engraved in rock forever.

25“As for me, I know that my Vindicatorh is alive;

And he, the Last One,i will take his stand on the soil.j

26Even after my skin has been destroyed,

clothed in my flesh I will see God,

27whom I will see for myself.

My own eyes will look at him—

there won’t be anyone else for me!—

He is the culmination of my innermost desire.”

Job Reminds His Friends of Judgment

28“When you’re thinking about asking yourselves,

‘How will we pursue him,

since the root of the problem is with him?’k

29Make sure that you remain wary of God’s sword,

for God’s wrath brings with it the sword of punishment,

by which you’ll know there’s a judgment.”