¶ Then Job answered and said,

How long¹ will ye vex² my soul, and break me³ in pieces with words?

These ten times⁴ have ye reproached⁵ me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me⁶.

And be it indeed that I have erred⁷, mine⁸ error remaineth with myself.

If indeed ye will magnify⁹ yourselves against me, and plead¹⁰ against me my reproach:

Know now that God¹¹ hath overthrown me, and hath compassed¹² me with his net.

Behold, I cry¹³ out of wrong¹⁴, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.

¶ He hath fenced¹⁵ up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set¹⁶ darkness in my paths.

He hath stripped¹⁷ me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.

¶ He hath destroyed¹⁸ me on every side, and I am gone¹⁹: and mine hope²⁰ hath he removed like a tree.

He hath also kindled²¹ his wrath against me, and he counteth²² me unto him as one of his enemies.

His²³ troops come together, and raise²⁴ up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.

He hath put my brethren²⁵ far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged²⁶ from me.

My kinsfolk²⁷ have failed, and my familiar²⁸ friends have forgotten me.

They that dwell²⁹ in mine house, and my maids, count me³⁰ for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.

I called my servant³¹, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth.

My breath³² is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body³³.

Yea,³⁴ young children³⁵ despised me; I arose, and they spake against me.

All my inward friends³⁶ abhorred me: and they whom³⁷ I loved are turned against me.

¶ My bone³⁸ cleaveth to my skin and to³⁹ my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.

Have pity⁴⁰ upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand⁴¹ of God hath touched me.

Why do ye persecute⁴² me as God, and are not⁴³ satisfied with my flesh?

¶ Oh⁴⁴ that my words were now written! oh that they were⁴⁵ printed in a book!

That they were graven⁴⁶ with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!

For I know⁴⁷ that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall⁴⁸ stand at the latter day upon the earth:

And though⁴⁹ after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh⁵⁰ shall I see God:

Whom I shall⁵¹ see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another⁵²; though my reins be consumed within me⁵³.

But ye should say, Why⁵⁴ persecute we him, seeing⁵⁵ the root of the matter is found in me⁵⁶?

Be ye afraid⁵⁷ of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may⁵⁸ know there is a judgment.