Job 19

Job complains of the cruelty of his friends; he describes his own sufferings: and his belief of a future resurrection.

1 But Job answered by saying: 2 How long will you afflict my soul and wear me down with words? 3 So, ten times you confound me and are not ashamed to oppress me. 4 Now, of course, if I have been ignorant, my ignorance will be with me. 5 But you have risen up against me, and you accuse me to my disgrace. 6 At least now you should understand that God has not afflicted me with a balanced judgment, though he has encompassed me with his scourges. ^{▼▼19:6 With an equal judgment: St. Gregory explains these words thus: Job being a just man, and truly considering his own life, thought that his affliction was greater than his sins deserved: and in that respect, that the punishment was not equal, yet it was just, as coming from God, who gives a crown of justice to those who suffer for righteousness’ sake, and proves the just with tribulations, as gold is tried by fire.(Challoner)} 7 Behold, I will cry out, enduring violence, and no one will hear. I will announce loudly, but there is no one who may judge. 8 He has hemmed in my path, and I cannot pass; he has added darkness to my difficult path. ^{▼▼19:8A looser translation better expresses the meaning of this passage. A ‘calle’ is not any path, but a rough or mountainous path, a difficult path. God has placed or set or added darkness to an already difficult path.(Conte)} 9 He has plundered me of my glory, and he has stolen the crown from my head. 10 He has destroyed me on every side, and I am lost, and, like an uprooted tree, he has taken away my hope. 11 His fury has raged against me, and in this way he has treated me like his enemy. 12 His troops have gathered together, and they have made their way to me, and they have besieged my tabernacle all around. 13 He has put my brothers far from me, and my friends have withdrawn from me like strangers. 14 My kinsmen have forsaken me, and those who knew me, have forgotten me. 15 The inhabitants of my house and my maidservants treat me just as if I were a stranger, and I have been like a sojourner in their eyes. 16 I called my servant, and he did not respond; I pleaded with him with my own mouth. 17 My wife has shuddered at my breath, and I have begged the sons of my loins. 18 Even the foolish have looked down on me, and, when I withdrew from them, they spoke ill of me. 19 Those who were sometimes my counselors, treat me like an abomination; and he whom I valued the most has turned against me. 20 Since my flesh has been consumed, my bone adheres to my skin, and only my lips have been left around my teeth. 21 Have mercy on me, have compassion on me, at least you my friends, because the hand of the Lord has touched me. 22 Why do you pursue me just as God does, and satiate yourselves with my flesh? 23 Who will grant to me that my words may be written down? Who will grant to me that they may be inscribed in a book, 24 with an iron pen and a plate of lead, or else be carved in stone? 25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and on the last day I will rise out of the earth. ^{▼▼19:25Ver. 25, 26, and 27 show Job’s explicit belief in his Redeemer, and also of the resurrection of the flesh, not as one tree rises in place of another, but that the selfsame flesh shall rise at the last day, by the power of God, changed in quality but not in substance, every one to receive sentence according to his works in this life.(Challoner)} 26 And I will be enveloped again with my skin, and in my flesh I will see my God. 27 It is he whom I myself will see, and he whom my eyes will behold, and no other. This, my hope, has taken rest in my bosom. 28 Why then do you now say: “Let us pursue him, and let us find a basis to speak against him?” ^{▼▼19:28The word ‘radicem’ refers to the root of something, but here it is used metaphorically to refer to the basis for finding words to use against someone.(Conte)} 29 So then, flee from the face of the sword, for the sword is the avenger of iniquities; but know this: there is to be a judgment. ^{▼▼19:29The phrase ‘et scitote esse iudicium’ literally means ‘and know judgment (is) to be.’ The verb ‘to be’ is implied. The translation is less literal, so that the meaning is clear and the expression sounds better in English: ‘but know this: there is to be a judgment.’ The word ‘et’ is typically translated as ‘and’ but not infrequently can mean ‘also’ or ‘but’ or similar things.(Conte)}