And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

The work of his hands Thou hast blessed, and his substance hath spread in the land, and yet, put forth, I pray Thee, Thy hand, and strike against anything that he hath -- if not: to Thy face he doth bless Thee!'

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that Job has is in your power, only do not put your hand on the man himself.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.

While he was still speaking, another [messenger] also came and said, “The fire of God (lightning) has fallen from the heavens and has burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

He said,

“Naked (without possessions) I came [into this world] from my mother’s womb,
And naked I will return there.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! Yes, a man will give all he has for his life.

Then said the LORD unto Satan, "Lo, there hast thou him in thy power, but spare his life."

Let destruction take the day of my birth, and the night on which it was said, A man child has come into the world.

There the passions of the evil are over, and those whose strength has come to an end have rest.

“Why is the light of day given to a man whose way is hidden,
And whom God has hedged in?

because the dread that I {feel} has come upon me, and what I feared befalls me.

I am not at ease, and I am not at peace, and I do not have rest, thus turmoil has come."

Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.

Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.

But now it has come to you, and you are worn out; it touches you, and you are horrified.

"Your fear of God has been your confidence, hasn't it? The integrity of your life has been your hope, hasn't it?

Remember, I pray thee, who that was innocent has perished? and where were the upright cut off?

What I have seen is that those by whom trouble has been ploughed, and evil planted, get the same for themselves.

For wrath is the cause of death to the foolish, and he who has no wisdom comes to his end through passion.

Their produce is taken by him who has no food, and their grain goes to the poor, and he who is in need of water gets it from their spring.

So the poor has hope, and injustice shuts her mouth.

Truly, that man is happy who has training from the hand of God: so do not let your heart be shut to the teaching of the Ruler of all.

And thou hast known that thy tent is peace, And inspected thy habitation, and errest not,

And hast known that numerous is Thy seed, And thine offspring as the herb of the earth;

See, we have made search with care, and it is so; it has come to our ears; see that you take note of it for yourself.

“Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass?
Or does the ox low over his fodder?

“Can something that has no taste to it be eaten without salt?
Or is there any flavor in the white of an egg?

My soul has no desire for such things, they are as disease in my food.

At least I could still take comfort and rejoice in unceasing anguish, for I didn't conceal what the Holy One has to say.

Since I cannot help myself,
the hope for success has been banished from me.

He whose heart is shut against his friend has given up the fear of the Ruler of all.

The truth can be painful, but what has your argument proven?

My words may seem wrong to you, but the words of him who has no hope are for the wind.

Has not man his ordered time of trouble on the earth? and are not his days like the days of a servant working for payment?

“My body is clothed with worms and a crust of dust;
My skin is hardened [and broken and loathsome], and [breaks out and] runs.

The eye of him that has seen me shall see me no more: your eyes are upon me, and I am not.

And thou hast affrighted me with dreams, And from visions thou terrifiest me,

I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

Thou dost not take away my transgression, And cause to pass away mine iniquity, Because now, for dust I lie down: And Thou hast sought me -- and I am not!

“If your children have sinned against Him,
Then He has handed them over to the power of their transgression and punished them.

Put the question now to the past generations, and give attention to what has been searched out by their fathers:

“God is wise in heart and mighty in strength;
Who has [ever] defied or challenged Him and remained unharmed?

It is all the same to me; so I say, He puts an end to the sinner and to him who has done no wrong together.

The land is given into the power of the evil-doer; the faces of its judges are covered; if not by him, then who has done it?

Is it good for Thee that Thou dost oppress? That Thou despisest the labour of Thy hands, And on the counsel of the wicked hast shone?

Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?

Thine own hands, shaped me, and made me, all in unison round about, and yet thou hast confounded me.

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?

Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?

Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews.

Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee.

If I sinned, then Thou hast observed me, And from mine iniquity dost not acquit me,

Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!

Shall, thy pratings, cause men to hold their peace? When thou hast mocked, shall there be none to put thee to shame?

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

and [that] he would tell you [the] secrets of wisdom, for {insight has many sides}. And know that God {on your behalf} has forgotten {some of} your guilt.

If thou -- thou hast prepared thy heart, And hast spread out unto Him thy hands,

if thou wouldst put away the wickedness which thou hast in hand, so that no ungodliness dwelt in thy house;

For then thou liftest up thy face from blemish, And thou hast been firm, and fearest not.

For you yourself will forget your misery; you will remember [it] as water [that] has flowed past.

And thou hast trusted because their is hope, And searched -- in confidence thou liest down,

And thou hast rested, And none is causing trembling, And many have entreated thy face;

But I have a mind as well as you; I am equal to you: yes, who has not knowledge of such things as these?

It seems that I am to be as one who is a cause of laughing to his neighbour, one who makes his prayer to God and is answered! the upright man who has done no wrong is to be made sport of!

Who among all of these does not know that Yahweh's hand has done this?

“But [only] with Him are [perfect] wisdom and might;
He [alone] has [true] counsel and understanding.

“He loosens the bond of kings
And binds their loins with a loincloth.

[Job continued:] “Behold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and understood it.

Thou hast put my foot in the stocks: thou lookest narrowly unto all my paths, and markest the steps of my feet.

And he himself wastes away like something rotten, like a garment that [the] moth has eaten.

Also -- on this Thou hast opened Thine eyes, And dost bring me into judgment with Thee.

Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

“[O God] turn your gaze from him so that he may rest,
Until he fulfills his day [on earth] like a hired man.

"O that you would hide me in Sheol, and conceal me till your anger has passed! O that you would set me a time and then remember me!

Thou dost call, and I -- I answer Thee; To the work of Thy hands Thou hast desire.

"For thou hast numbered all my goings, yet be not thou too extreme upon my sins.

Sealed up in a bag, is my transgression, and thou hast glued over mine iniquity.

Stones have waters worn away, Their outpourings wash away the dust of earth, And the hope of man Thou hast destroyed.

Thou dost overpower him utterly, and he departeth, Disfiguring his face, so, hast thou sent him away.

His sons come to honour, and he has no knowledge of it; they are made low, but he is not conscious of it.

But his flesh on him has pain, and his soul within him mourns."

As for shame, thou hast set it aside - else wouldest thou not make so many words before God.

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

Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?

What hast thou known, and we know not? Understandest thou -- and it is not with us?

Are God's encouragements inconsequential to you, even a word that has been spoken gently to you?

Why has your heart misled you,
and why do your eyes flash

For thou turnest against God thy spirit? And hast brought out words from thy mouth:

"The wicked person writhes in pain throughout his life, a number of years has been reserved for the ruthless.

He has no hope of coming safe out of the dark, and his fate will be the sword;

“Because he has stretched out his hand against God
And behaves arrogantly against the Almighty,

For he has covered his face with his fat,
Adding layers of fat to his thighs [giving himself up to pleasures],

And he has lived in desolate [God-forsaken] cities,
In houses which no one should inhabit,
Which were destined to become heaps [of ruins];

He does not get wealth for himself, and is unable to keep what he has got; the heads of his grain are not bent down to the earth.

Evil has made them with child, and they give birth to trouble; and the fruit of their body is shame for themselves.

Shall not thy vain words come yet to an end? Or, hast thou yet any more to say?

“If I speak, my pain is not lessened,
And if I hold back, what has left me?