1 Then Job answered,
2 "How long will you torment me,
and crush me with words?
3 You have reproached me ten times.
You aren’t ashamed that you attack me.
4 If it is true that I have erred,
my error remains with myself.
5 If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me,
and plead against me my reproach,
6 know now that God has subverted me,
and has surrounded me with his net.
7 "Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard.
I cry for help, but there is no justice.
8 He has walled up my way so that I can’t pass,
and has set darkness in my paths.
9 He has stripped me of my glory,
and taken the crown from my head.
10 He has broken me down on every side, and I am gone.
He has plucked my hope up like a tree.
11 He has also kindled his wrath against me.
He counts me among his adversaries.
12 His troops come on together,
build a siege ramp against me,
and encamp around my tent.
13 "He has put my brothers far from me.
My acquaintances are wholly estranged from me.
14 My relatives have gone away.
My familiar friends have forgotten me.
15 Those who dwell in my house and my maids consider me a stranger.
I am an alien in their sight.
16 I call to my servant, and he gives me no answer.
I beg him with my mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife.
I am loathsome to the children of my own mother.
18 Even young children despise me.
If I arise, they speak against me.
19 All my familiar friends abhor me.
They whom I loved have turned against me.
20 My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh.
I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21 "Have pity on me. Have pity on me, you my friends,
for the hand of God has touched me.
22 Why do you persecute me as God,
and are not satisfied with my flesh?
23 "Oh that my words were now written!
Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24 That with an iron pen and lead
they were engraved in the rock forever!
25 But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives.
In the end, he will stand upon the earth.
26 After my skin is destroyed,
then I will see God in my flesh,
27 whom I, even I, will see on my side.
My eyes will see, and not as a stranger.
"My heart is consumed within me.
28 If you say, ‘How we will persecute him!’
because the root of the matter is found in me,
29 be afraid of the sword,
for wrath brings the punishments of the sword,
that you may know there is a judgment."
1 Maar Job het geantwoord en gesê:
2 Hoe lank sal julle my siel kwel en my met woorde verbrysel?
3 Nou tien maal al doen julle my smaadheid aan, mishandel julle my sonder om julle te skaam.
4 En het ek ook werklik my misgaan, dan bly my fout by my.
5 As julle jul werklik teen my wil groot maak en teen my my smaadheid wil bewys,
6 weet dan dat God my onregverdig behandel het en met sy net my rondom ingesluit het.
7 As ek roep: Geweld! dan word ek nie verhoor nie; ek roep om hulp, maar daar is geen reg nie.
8 Hy het my weg toegemuur, sodat ek nie verby kan nie; en oor my paaie het Hy duisternis gesprei.
9 My eer het Hy van my afgetrek en die kroon van my hoof weggeneem.
10 Hy werp my aan alle kante omver, en -- daar gaan ek! En Hy het my verwagting uitgeruk soos 'n boom.
11 Ook het Hy sy toorn teen my laat ontvlam en my beskou as een van sy vyande.
12 As een man kom sy skare aan en baan 'n pad vir hulle teen my, en hulle slaan die laer op rondom my tent.
13 My broers het Hy ver van my verwyder, en my bekendes het vir my heeltemal vreemd geword.
14 My nabestaandes ontbreek, en my vertroudes het my vergeet.
15 My bywoners en my slavinne beskou my as 'n vreemde; 'n onbekende het ek geword in hulle oë.
16 Ek roep my slaaf, maar hy antwoord nie; met my mond moet ek hom smeek.
17 My asem is vir my vrou hinderlik, en my slegte reuk vir die kinders van my moeder se skoot.
18 Selfs jong seuns minag my; wil ek opstaan, dan spot hulle met my.
19 Al my vertroude vriende het 'n afsku van my; en die wat ek liefgehad het, het hulle teen my gekeer.
20 My gebeente kleef aan my vel en aan my vlees, en ek het slegs met my tandvlees ontsnap.
21 Ontferm julle oor my, ontferm julle oor my, o my vriende, want die hand van God het my getref!
22 Waarom vervolg julle my, soos God, en word nie versadig van my vlees nie?
23 Ag, mag my woorde tog maar opgeskrywe, mag hulle maar in 'n boek opgeteken word --
24 met 'n ystergriffel en lood -- vir altyd in 'n rots ingekap!
25 Maar ek, ek weet: My Verlosser leef; en Hy sal as laaste oor die stof opstaan.
26 En nadat hulle so my vel afgeskeur het, sal ek nogtans uit my vlees God aanskou;
27 Hom wat ,k sal aanskou my ten goede, en my oë -- en geen vreemde nie -- sal sien, My niere versmag van verlange in my binneste.
28 As julle sê: Hoe sal ons hom vervolg, aangesien die wortel van die saak in hom gevind is! --
29 vrees dan vir die swaard, want grimmigheid is een van die oortredinge wat die swaard verdien, sodat julle kan weet dat daar 'n oordeel is.