The Holy Book

Job 19 ~ The King of Uz

1
Jah cursed Job really bad by letting his kids die, his wealth get robbed, his skin breakout in boils. His three friends have been taking turns telling him what they think he should do. Bildad thinks he must've done some pretty awful stuff no one knows about. With tuts and sighs, Job replies:

2
"How much more of this must I listen to? Am I not already crushed enough?...

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...You keep pointing fingers. You don't care how I feel...

4
...If I've sinned, it's only venial stuff. I haven't hurt anyone, have I...

5
...I'm cursed, you're not. So what? You think you're better than me?...

6
...You can't be. I didn't do anything. It's Jah. Not me. He's thrown a net of curses over me. Like a rabbit in the woods. It's nothing I've done. Nothing I can do...

7
...I'm helpless. I cry like a baby but no one can help me. No one can find and punish the crooks. No one can get back the stuff they stole...

8
...The Don has blocked my path through life with a wall I cannot climb. Snuffed out the light of joy in my heart. The sun will never rise for me again. Black clouds hover over me. High noon to me is the dead of night. I can't see where I'm going. No way forward. No way out of this mess I'm in...

9
...I was the King of Uz. Now there's nothing left to lose. The crown I used to wear is now a wisp of nothing but midnight air...

10
...My roots were strong as a mighty tree. But easy as a weed, the Don uprooted me. Everything I ever knew and cherished, all is gone. It was the Don...

11
...He's turned against me. Branded me his enemy. With an enemy like that, what use are friends?...

12
...He rules every army in the world. No matter where I run, I stand surrounded. Like a flimsy little tent on a battlefield, defenceless...

13
...I used to get invited by my friends to every party. Now they're all so far above me. I'll be lucky if they ever even look my way again...

14
...My family is dead. I'm as good as dead myself. You may as well forget me now. You'll forget me in a week or something anyhow...

15
...I'm a stranger now to my maids and men. They barely recognise me anymore. They don't know who I am.  I was their boss. They looked up to me. Now I'm nothing but an alien, invisible...

16
...They used to go at my beck and call: "Come here, run there, do this, do that, make lunch!" Now all I can say is: "A crumb, a scrap, I beg you!"...

17
...My wife is nowhere to be seen. Why would she be? My breath stinks. My teeth are yellow. If I kissed her she'd gag. My own brothers and sisters find me repulsive...

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...Even little children are disgusted, hurling insults, looking down on me. I'm nobody...

19
...All the friends I held dear are dear no more. They're all against me now. Everyone I ever knew before...

20
...My bones can be seen through my skin. It's embarrassing. It's easier to hide my teeth now than my ribs...

21
...Have pity on me, guys. For the hand of the god of all the world has brushed me like a feather, blowing everything I ever loved away in one fell flap of a crimson wing...

22
...How can you look down on me, accuse and tease and glare at me? Is my sorry state of wealth and health not suffering enough?...

23
...Write my words in a book if you want. Or a tablet made of clay. Tell folk what you think of me...

24
...With an iron pen, engraved in rock forever. "Job the sinner!"...

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...I don't care. Jah knows the truth. At the end of time, when he beams down from heaven, walking with mortals again, like in Eden, blessing and damning the souls of the living and dead, you'll see. Job was innocent...

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...Go now. Let me perish here. When my flesh withers, leaving just my bones, my spirit will fly free. To heaven it will soar and see the sweet King of Mercies face to face...

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...He'll know and love and let me in the pearly gates. Be with me, not against me. Take my side, support me. He'll turn away a sinner, sure. Not me though. My heart is pure. Pure as can be on this cursed and twisted planet anyhow...

28
...If you say "let's take revenge on Job for being a dirty sinner" you'll be in error, as I'm innocent. Relatively innocent. Relatively blameless in this villainous world...

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...So fear the Don. He will avenge me. In heaven or on earth. With a sword, a plague, a holy spear. The weapon of his choice. He never forgets what's done or said. He judges the living and the dead."