And it was so, when the days of the feasting were gone about, that Job sent and hallowed them; and he rose up early in the morning, and offered up burnt-offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

And Jehovah said to Satan, Whence comest thou? And Satan answered Jehovah and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

And Satan answered Jehovah and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped, alone, to tell thee.

and behold, there came a great wind from over the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they died; and I only am escaped, alone, to tell thee.

And Jehovah said to Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered Jehovah and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

And Satan answered Jehovah and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life;

And they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights; and none spoke a word to him; for they saw that his anguish was very great.

That day let it be darkness, let not +God care for it from above, neither let light shine upon it:

Let the stars of its twilight be dark; let it wait for light, and have none, neither let it see the eyelids of the dawn:

For now should I have lain down and been quiet; I should have slept: then had I been at rest,

With kings and counsellors of the earth, who build desolate places for themselves,

Who long for death, and it cometh not, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures;

For my sighing cometh before my bread, and my groanings are poured out like the waters.

For I feared a fear, and it hath come upon me, and that which I dreaded hath come to me.

The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness are scattered.

Fear came on me, and trembling, and made all my bones to shake;

From morning to evening are they smitten: without any heeding it, they perish for ever.

For vexation killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the simple.

His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, and there is no deliverer:

Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh even out of the thorns; and the snare gapeth for his substance.

For evil cometh not forth from the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;

For man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upwards.

But as for me I will seek unto God, and unto God commit my cause;

So the poor hath what he hopeth for, and unrighteousness stoppeth her mouth.

For he maketh sore, and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.

Behold this, we have searched it out, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thyself.

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas; therefore my words are vehement.

For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, their poison drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of +God are arrayed against me.

For him that is fainting kindness is meet from his friend; or he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

Do ye imagine to reprove words? The speeches of one that is desperate are indeed for the wind.

Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and dig a pit for your friend.

I loathe it; I shall not live always: let me alone, for my days are a breath.

Have I sinned, what do I unto thee, thou Observer of men? Why hast thou set me as an object of assault for thee, so that I am become a burden to myself?

And why dost not thou forgive my transgression and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I lie down in the dust, and thou shalt seek me early, and I shall not be.

If thou be pure and upright, surely now he will awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous;

For inquire, I pray thee, of the former generation, and attend to the researches of their fathers;

For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, for our days upon earth are a shadow.

He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses.

For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him; that we should come together in judgment.

Then I will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

My soul is weary of my life: I will give free course to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

For thou sayest, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

For he knoweth vain men, and seeth wickedness when man doth not consider it;

If thou put far away the iniquity which is in thy hand, and let not wrong dwell in thy tents;

Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot, and thou shalt be stedfast and shalt not fear:

For thou shalt forget misery; as waters that are passed away shalt thou remember it;

For ye indeed are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

Will ye speak unrighteously for God? and for him speak deceit?

Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

Who is he that contendeth with me? For if I were silent now, I should expire.

Withdraw thy hand far from me; and let not thy terror make me afraid:

Wherefore dost thou hide thy face, and countest me for thine enemy?

For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth;

For there is hope for a tree: if it be cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender branch will not cease;

For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?

Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth away; thou changest his countenance, and dismissest him.

But his flesh hath pain for himself alone, and his soul mourneth for himself.

For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou hast chosen the tongue of the crafty.

Hast thou listened in the secret council of +God? And hast thou absorbed wisdom for thyself?

Are the consolations of God too small for thee? and the word gently spoken to thee?

He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is singled out for the sword.

He wandereth abroad for bread, where may it be? He knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

Distress and anguish make him afraid; they prevail against him, as a king ready for the battle.

For he hath stretched out his hand against God, and strengthened himself against the Almighty:

For he hath covered his face with his fatness, and gathered fat upon his flanks.

Let him not trust in vanity: he is deceived, for vanity shall be his recompense;

For the family of the ungodly shall be barren, and fire shall consume the tents of bribery.

I was at rest, but he hath shattered me; he hath taken me by the neck and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

O earth, cover not my blood, and let there be no place for my cry!

Even now, behold, my Witness is in the heavens, and he that voucheth for me is in the heights.

Oh that there were arbitration for a man with +God, as a son of man for his friend!

For years few in number shall pass, and I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

Lay down now a pledge, be thou surety for me with thyself: who is he that striketh hands with me?

For thou hast hidden their heart from understanding; therefore thou wilt not exalt them.

He that betrayeth friends for a prey even the eyes of his children shall fail.

But as for you all, pray come on again; and I shall not find one wise man among you.

How long will ye hunt for words? Be intelligent, and then we will speak.

Thou that tearest thyself in thine anger, shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of its place?

Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the flame of his fire shall not shine.

For he is sent into the net by his own feet, and he walketh on the meshes;

A cord is hidden for him in the ground, and his trap in the way.

He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are quite estranged from me.

Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, ye my friends; for the hand of +God hath touched me.

That with an iron style and lead they were graven in the rock for ever!

And as for me, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and the Last, he shall stand upon the earth;

Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another: my reins are consumed within me.

Be ye yourselves afraid of the sword! for the sword is fury against misdeeds, that ye may know there is a judgment.

Therefore do my thoughts give me an answer, and for this is my haste within me.

The exultation of the wicked is short, and the joy of the ungodly man but for a moment?

Like his own dung doth he perish for ever; they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

That which he laboured for shall he restore, and not swallow down; its restitution shall be according to the value, and he shall not rejoice therein.

For he hath oppressed, hath forsaken the poor; he hath violently taken away a house that he did not build.

All darkness is laid up for his treasures: a fire not blown shall devour him; it shall feed upon what is left in his tent.

As for me, is my complaint to a man? or wherefore should not my spirit be impatient?

Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of +God upon them.

And they say unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways!

Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked be far from me!

+God layeth up the punishment of his iniquity for his children; he rewardeth him, and he shall know it: