Job 19

CAB^{(i) 1} Then Job answered and said, ² How long will you torment my soul, and destroy me with words? Only know that the Lord has dealt with me thus. ³ You speak against me; you do not feel for me, but bear hard upon me. ⁴ Surely I have erred in truth, (but the error abides with myself) ^(19:4A) in having spoken words which it was not right to speak; and my words err, and are unreasonable. ⁵ But alas! For you magnify yourselves against me, and insult me with reproach. ⁶ Know then that it is the Lord that has troubled me, and has raised His bulwark against me. ⁷ Behold, I laugh at reproach; I will not speak: or I will cry out, but judgment is nowhere. ⁸ I am fenced round about, and can by no means escape: He has set darkness before my face. ⁹ And He has stripped me of my glory, and has taken the crown from my head. ¹⁰ He has torn me round about, and I am gone, and He has cut off my hope like a tree. ¹¹ And He has dreadfully handled me in anger, and has counted me for an enemy. ¹² His troops also came upon me with one accord, liars in wait compassed my ways. ¹³ My brothers have stood far from me; they have recognized strangers rather than me: and my friends have become pitiless. ¹⁴ My relatives have not acknowledged me, and they that knew my name have forgotten me. ¹⁵ As for my household, and my maidservants, I was a stranger before them. ¹⁶ I called my servant, but he gives no answer; and my mouth begged him. ¹⁷ And I besought my wife, and earnestly begged the sons of my concubines. ¹⁸ But they rejected me forever; whenever I rise up, they speak against me. ¹⁹ They that saw me abhorred me: the very persons whom I had loved, rose up against me. ²⁰ My flesh is corrupt under my skin, and my bones are held in my teeth. ²¹ Pity me, pity me, O my friends; for it is the hand of the Lord that has touched me. ²² Why do you persecute me as also the Lord does, and are not satisfied with my flesh? ²³ For oh that my words were written, and that they were recorded in a book forever, ²⁴ with an iron pen and lead, or engraved in the rocks! ²⁵ For I know that He is eternal who is about to deliver me, ²⁶ and to raise up upon the earth my skin that endures these sufferings: for these things have been accomplished to me of the Lord; ²⁷ which I am conscious of in myself, which my eye has seen, and not another, but all have been fulfilled to me in my bosom. ²⁸ But if you shall also say, What shall we say before him, and so find the root of the matter in him? ²⁹ Beware of deceit for yourselves; for wrath will come upon transgressors; and then shall they know where their substance is.