Job 19:13–22

“He has put my brothers far from me,

and those who knew me are wholly estranged from me.

My relatives have failed me,

my close friends have forgotten me.

The guests in my house and my maidservants count me as a stranger;

I have become a foreigner in their eyes.

I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer;

I must plead with him with my mouth for mercy.

My breath is strange to my wife,

and I am a stench to the children of my own mother.

Even young children despise me;

when I rise they talk against me.

All my intimate friends abhor me,

and those whom I loved have turned against me.

My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh,

and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.

Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends,

for the hand of God has touched me!

Why do you, like God, pursue me?

Why are you not satisfied with my flesh?

“He has alienated my family from me;

my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.

My relatives have gone away;

my closest friends have forgotten me.

My guests and my female servants count me a foreigner;

they look on me as on a stranger.

I summon my servant, but he does not answer,

though I beg him with my own mouth.

My breath is offensive to my wife;

I am loathsome to my own family.

Even the little boys scorn me;

when I appear, they ridicule me.

All my intimate friends detest me;

those I love have turned against me.

I am nothing but skin and bones;

I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.

“Have pity on me, my friends, have pity,

for the hand of God has struck me.

Why do you pursue me as God does?

Will you never get enough of my flesh?

He has removed my brothers from me;

my acquaintances have abandoned me.

My relatives stop coming by,

and my close friends have forgotten me.

My house guests and female servants regard me as a stranger;

I am a foreigner in their sight.

I call for my servant, but he does not answer,

even if I beg him with my own mouth.

My breath is offensive to my wife,

and my own family finds me repulsive.

Even young boys scorn me.

When I stand up, they mock me.

All of my best friends despise me,

and those I love have turned against me.

My skin and my flesh cling to my bones;

I have escaped with only the skin of my teeth.

Have mercy on me, my friends, have mercy,

for God’s hand has struck me.

Why do you persecute me as God does?

Will you never get enough of my flesh?

“My relatives stay far away,

and my friends have turned against me.

My family is gone,

and my close friends have forgotten me.

My servants and maids consider me a stranger.

I am like a foreigner to them.

When I call my servant, he doesn’t come;

I have to plead with him!

My breath is repulsive to my wife.

I am rejected by my own family.

Even young children despise me.

When I stand to speak, they turn their backs on me.

My close friends detest me.

Those I loved have turned against me.

I have been reduced to skin and bones

and have escaped death by the skin of my teeth.

“Have mercy on me, my friends, have mercy,

for the hand of God has struck me.

Must you also persecute me, like God does?

Haven’t you chewed me up enough?

He hath put my brethren far from me,

And mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.

My kinsfolk have failed,

And my familiar friends have forgotten me.

They that dwell in mine house, and my maids,

Count me for a stranger:

I am an alien in their sight.

I called my servant, and he gave me no answer;

I intreated him with my mouth.

My breath is strange to my wife,

Though I intreated for the children’s sake of mine own body.

Yea, young children despised me;

I arose, and they spake against me.

All my inward friends abhorred me:

And they whom I loved are turned against me.

My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh,

And I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.

Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends;

For the hand of God hath touched me.

Why do ye persecute me as God,

And are not satisfied with my flesh?