And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

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

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

Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath 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 the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

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

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

Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.

Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:

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

With kings and counsellers of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves;

The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.

Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;

For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.

For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.

Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?

The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.

Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.

They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.

For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.

His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.

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.

Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.

For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.

For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.

Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?

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

Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie.

As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:

When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.

And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.

If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

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

For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)

For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

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

Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

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

For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.

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

For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.

If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

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

Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

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

He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.

Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.

Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

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

For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof 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: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.

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

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

He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.

Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.

For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.

I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.

O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.

For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.

But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.

And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?

He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place?

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

For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare.

The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way.

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

They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.

My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body.

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

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

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.

Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.

That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?

Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.

There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.

All darkness shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.

As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?

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