Job's Redeemer Lives
Job 19
Job complains that his friends continue to wound him with words though it is the Lord who has brought this trouble upon him, describing how he has been abandoned by brothers, kinsmen, servants, and even his own wife. He pleads for pity, then declares his confidence that his eternal deliverer lives and will raise him up despite his sufferings, wishing his words could be recorded forever in a book or engraved in rock.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonTO this Job replied:
BrentonThen Job answered and said,
GreekὙπολαβὼν δὲ Ἰὼβ, λέγει,
KJVThen Job answered and said,
JPSThen Job answered and said:
2
ThomsonHow long will you make my soul sorrowful? You are indeed destroying me with words. Know at least—because the Lord hath dealt thus with me,
BrentonHow long will ye vex my soul, and destroy me with words? only know that the Lord has dealt with me thus.
GreekἝως τίνος ἔγκοπον ποιήσετε ψυχήν μου, καὶ καθαιρεῖτέ με λόγοις; γνῶτε μόνον ὅτι ὁ Κύριος ἐποίησέ με οὕτως.
KJVHow long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
JPSHow long will ye vex my soul, And crush me with words?
3
Thomsonyou speak against me—without shame you fall upon me.
BrentonYe speak against me; ye do not feel for me, but bear hard upon me.
GreekΚαταλαλεῖτέ μου, οὐκ αἰσχυνόμενοί με ἐπίκεισθέ μοι.
KJV—
JPS—
4
ThomsonTake it for granted that I have erred (though my error remaineth with myself) in speaking words which I ought not: and that my words are erroneous and unseasonable: but granted also,
BrentonYea verily, I have erred in truth, (but the error abides with myself)
GreekΝαὶ δὴ ἐπʼ ἀληθείας ἐγὼ ἐπλανήθην, παρʼ ἐμοὶ δὲ αὐλίζεται πλάνος·
KJVAnd be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.
JPSAnd be it indeed that I have erred, Mine error remaineth with myself.
4a
Thomson—
Brentonin having spoken words which it was not right to speak; and my words err, and are unseasonable.
Greekλαλῆσαι ῥῆματα ἃ οὐκ ἔδει, τὰ δὲ ῥήματά μου πλανᾶται καὶ οὐκ ἐπὶ καιροῦ.
KJV—
JPS—
5
Thomsonthat you magnify yourselves against me, and insult me with reproach.
BrentonBut alas! for ye magnify yourselves against me, and insult me with reproach.
GreekἜα δὲ, ὅτι ἐπʼ ἐμοὶ μεγαλύνεσθε, ἐνάλλεσθε δέ μοι ὀνείδει.
KJVIf indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:
JPSIf indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, And plead against me my reproach;
6
ThomsonKnow then, That it is the Lord Who hath terrified me, and raised His bulwark against me.
BrentonKnow then that it is the Lord that has troubled me, and has raised his bulwark against me.
GreekΓνῶτε οὖν ὅτι Κύριός ἐστιν ὁ ταράξας, ὀχύρωμα δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐπʼ ἐμὲ ὕψωσεν.
KJV—
JPS—
7
ThomsonBehold I laugh at reproach—I will not speak—I will cry aloud, There is no judgment.
BrentonBehold, I laugh at reproach; I will not speak: or I will cry out, but there is nowhere judgment.
GreekἸδοὺ γελῶ ὀνείδει, οὐ λαλήσω· κεκράξομαι, καὶ οὐδαμοῦ κρίμα.
KJVBehold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
JPSBehold, I cry out: ‘Violence! ’ but I am not heard; I cry aloud, but there is no justice. .
8
ThomsonI am fenced about and cannot get out. Before me He hath placed darkness.
BrentonI am fenced round about, and can by no means escape: he has set darkness before my face.
GreekΚύκλῳ περιῳκοδόμημαι, καὶ οὐ μὴ διαβῶ· ἐπὶ πρόσωπόν μου σκότος ἔθετο.
KJVHe hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
JPSHe hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, And hath set darkness in my paths.
9
ThomsonHe hath stripped me of my glory, and hath taken the crown from my head.
BrentonAnd he has stripped me of my glory, and has taken the crown from my head.
GreekΤὴν δὲ δόξαν ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ ἐξέδυσεν, ἀφεῖλε δὲ στέφανον ἀπὸ κεφαλῆς μου.
KJVHe hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
JPSHe hath stripped me of my glory, And taken the crown from my head.
10
ThomsonHe broke me on every side and I fled: and He hath cut down my hope like a tree.
BrentonHe has torn me round about, and I am gone: and he has cut off my hope like a tree.
GreekΔιέσπασέ με κύκλῳ καὶ ᾠχόμην, ἐξέκοψε δὲ ὥσπερ δένδρον τὴν ἐλπίδα μου.
KJVHe hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
JPSHe hath broken me down on every side, and I am gone; And my hope hath He plucked up like a tree.
11
ThomsonWhen He exercised great wrath against me, and counted me as an enemy:
BrentonAnd he has dreadfully handled me in anger, and has counted me for an enemy.
GreekΔεινῶς δέ μοι ὀργῇ ἐχρήσατο, ἡγήσατο δέ με ὥσπερ ἐχθρόν.
KJV—
JPS—
12
ThomsonWith one consent His troops fell upon me; they who were in ambush beset my ways.
BrentonHis troops also came upon me with one accord, liers in wait compassed my ways.
GreekὉμοθυμαδὸν δὲ ἦλθον τὰ πειρατήρια αὐτοῦ ἐπʼ ἐμοὶ, ταῖς ὁδοῖς μου ἐκύκλωσαν ἐγκάθετοι.
KJV—
JPS—
13
ThomsonMy brethren stood aloof from me, they acknowledged strangers rather than me; and my friends were not compassionate.
BrentonMy brethren have stood aloof from me; they have recognised strangers rather than me: and my friends have become pitiless.
GreekἈπʼ ἐμοῦ ἀδελφοί μου ἀπέστησαν, ἔγνωσαν ἀλλοτρίους ἢ ἐμέ· φίλοι δέ μου ἀνελεήμονες γεγόνασιν·
KJV—
JPS—
14
ThomsonMy nearest relations paid me no attention: and they who knew my name forgot me.
BrentonMy nearest of kin have not acknowledged me, and they that knew my name, have forgotten me.
GreekΟὐ προσεποιήσαντό με οἱ ἐγγύτατοί μου, καὶ οἱ εἰδότες μου τὸ ὄνομα ἐπελάθοντό μου.
KJVMy kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
JPSMy kinsfolk have failed, And my familiar friends have forgotten me.
15
ThomsonAs for my domestics and maid servants, in their view I was a stranger.
BrentonAs for my household, and my maid-servants, I was a stranger before them.
GreekΓείτονες οἰκίας, θεράπαιναί τε μοῦ, ἀλλογενὴς ἤμην ἐναντίον αὐτῶν.
KJV—
JPS—
16
ThomsonWhen I called my servant, he did not answer me.
BrentonI called my servant, and he hearkened not; and my mouth intreated him.
GreekΘεράποντά μου ἐκάλεσα, καὶ οὐχ ὑπήκουσε· στόμα δέ μου ἐδέετο.
KJVI called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth.
JPSI call unto my servant, and he giveth me no answer, Though I entreat him with my mouth.
17
ThomsonWhen with my mouth I entreated and supplicated my wife, and called affectionately the children of my concubines:
BrentonAnd I besought my wife, and earnestly intreated the sons of my concubines.
GreekΚαὶ ἱκέτευον τὴν γυναῖκά μου, προσεκαλούμην δὲ καλακευων υἱοὺς παλλακίδων μου·
KJVMy breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children’s sake of mine own body.
JPS—
18
Thomsonthey renounced me forever. When I insist, they speak against me.
BrentonBut they rejected me for ever; whenever I rise up, they speak against me.
GreekΟἱ δὲ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνά με ἀπεποιήσαντο, ὅταν ἀναστῶ, κατʼ ἐμοῦ λαλοῦσιν.
KJV—
JPSEven urchins despised me; If I arise, they speak against me.
19
ThomsonThey who saw me, abhorred me; and they whom I loved rose up against me.
BrentonThey that saw me abhorred me: the very persons whom I had loved, rose up against me.
GreekἘβδελύξαντό με οἱ ἰδόντες με· οὓς δὴ ἠγαπήκειν, ἐπανέστησάν μοι.
KJVAll my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.
JPSAll my intimate friends abhor me; And they whom I loved are turned against me.
20
ThomsonThe flesh next my skin became rotten, and my bones begin to be corroded.
BrentonMy flesh is corrupt under my skin, and my bones are held in my teeth.
GreekἘν δέρματί μου ἐσάπησαν αἱ σάρκες μου, τὰ δὲ ὀστᾶ μου ἐν ὀδοῦσιν ἔχεται.
KJVMy bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
JPSMy bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, And I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21
ThomsonPity me, pity me, O my friends, for the hand of the Lord hath touched me.
BrentonPity me, pity me, O friends; for it is the hand of the Lord that has touched me.
GreekἘλεήσατέ με, ἐλεήσατέ με, ὦ φίλοι, χεὶρ γὰρ Κυρίου ἡ ἁψαμένη μου ἐστί.
KJVHave pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
JPSHave pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; For the hand of God hath touched me.
22
ThomsonWhy do you persecute me as the Lord doth, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
BrentonWherefore do ye persecute me as also the Lord does, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
GreekΔιατί με διώκετε ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ Κύριος; ἀπὸ δὲ σαρκῶν μου οὐκ ἐμπίπλασθε;
KJVWhy do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
JPSWhy do ye persecute me as God, And are not satisfied with my flesh?
23
ThomsonO that my words were written and recorded in a book forever!
BrentonFor oh that my words were written, and that they were recorded in a book for ever,
GreekΤίς γὰρ ἂν δοίη γραφῆναι τὰ ῥήματά μου, τεθῆναι δὲ αὐτὰ ἐν βιβλίῳ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα,
KJVOh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
JPSOh that my words were now written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24
ThomsonThat they were engraven with a graver of iron on lead, or on rocks!
Brentonwith an iron pen and lead, or graven in the rocks!
Greekἐν γραφείῳ σιδηρῷ καὶ μολίβῳ, ἢ ἐν πέτραις ἐγγλυφῆναι;
KJVThat they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
JPSThat with an iron pen and lead They were graven in the rock for ever!
25
ThomsonFor I know that He is eternal,
BrentonFor I know that he is eternal who is about to deliver me,
GreekΟἶδα γὰρ ὅτι ἀένναός ἐστιν ὁ ἐκλύειν με μέλλων,
KJV—
JPS—
26
ThomsonWho is about to dissolve me on earth, to raise anew this body of mine which suffereth these things.
Brentonand to raise up upon the earth my skin that endures these sufferings: for these things have been accomplished to me of the Lord;
Greekἐπὶ γῆς ἀναστῆσαι τὸ δέρμα μου τὸ ἀναντλοῦν ταῦτα· παρὰ γὰρ Κυρίου ταῦτά μοι συνετελέσθη,
KJV—
JPS—
27
ThomsonFor from the Lord those things have been done to me, of which I alone am conscious—which mine eyes have seen, and no other; and which have all been done to me in my bosom.
Brentonwhich I am conscious of in myself, which mine eye has seen, and not another, but all have been fulfilled to me in my bosom.
Greekἃ ἐγὼ ἐμαυτῷ συνεπίσταμαι, ἃ ὁ ὀφθαλμός μου ἑώρακε, καὶ οὐκ ἄλλος, πάντα δέ μοι συντετέλεσται ἐν κόλπῳ.
KJV—
JPS—
28
ThomsonNow if you will say, What shall we say against him? And what ground of accusation shall we find in him?
BrentonBut if ye shall also say, What shall we say before him, and so find the root of the matter in him?
GreekΕἰ δὲ καὶ ἐρεῖτε, τί ἐροῦμεν ἔναντι αὐτοῦ, καὶ ῥίζαν λόγου εὑρήσομεν ἐν αὐτῷ;
KJVBut ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?
JPSIf ye say: ‘How we will persecute him! ’ Seeing that the root of the matter is found in me;
29
ThomsonStand in awe, I beseech you, of the developing scene; for wrath will come upon the unrighteous, and it shall then be known, where their filthiness is.
BrentonDo ye also beware of deceit: for wrath will come upon transgressors; and then shall they know where their substance is.
GreekΕὐλαβήθητε δὴ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀπὸ ἐπικαλύμματος, θυμὸς γὰρ ἐπʼ ἀνόμους ἐπελεύσεται· καὶ τότε γνώσονται, ποῦ ἐστιν αὐτῶν ἡ ὕλη
KJV—
JPS—