And there was a day when the sons of the gods came together before the Lord, and the Satan came with them.

And there was a day when his sons and daughters were feasting in the house of their oldest brother,

And this one was still talking when another came, and said, The fire of God came down from heaven, burning up the sheep and the goats and the young men completely, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.

And this one was still talking when another came, and said, The Chaldaeans made themselves into three bands, and came down on the camels and took them away, putting the young men to the sword, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.

And this one was still talking when another came, and said, Your sons and your daughters were feasting together in their oldest brother's house,

When a great wind came rushing from the waste land against the four sides of the house, and it came down on the young men, and they are dead; and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.

And there was a day when the sons of the gods came together before the Lord, and the Satan came with them.

And he said to her, You are talking like one of the foolish women. If we take the good God sends us, are we not to take the evil when it comes? In all this Job kept his lips from sin.

And lifting up their eyes when they were still far off, it did not seem that the man they saw was Job because of the change in him. And they gave way to bitter weeping, with signs of grief, and put dust on their heads.

Why did death not take me when I came out of my mother's body, why did I not, when I came out, give up my last breath?

Who are glad with great joy, and full of delight when they come to their last resting-place;

Have you ever seen destruction come to an upright man? or when were the god-fearing ever cut off?

In troubled thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep comes on men,

When there is need of food he will keep you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.

He will keep you safe from the evil tongue; and you will have no fear of wasting when it comes.

Does the ass of the fields give out his voice when he has grass? or does the ox make sounds over his food?

When I go to my bed, I say, When will it be time to get up? but the night is long, and I am turning from side to side till morning light.

When I say, In my bed I will have comfort, there I will get rest from my disease;

When it is still green, without being cut down, it becomes dry and dead before any other plant.

The time will come when your mouth will be full of laughing, and cries of joy will come from your lips.

And so a hollow-minded man will get wisdom, when a young ass of the field gets teaching.

Truly, there is no building up of what is pulled down by him; when a man is shut up by him, no one may let him loose.

If only you would keep me safe in the underworld, putting me in a secret place till your wrath is past, giving me a fixed time when I might come to your memory again!

Even young children have no respect for me; when I get up their backs are turned on me.

Have you knowledge of this from early times, when man was placed on the earth,

Even when his wealth is great, he is full of care, for the hand of everyone who is in trouble is turned against him.

For what interest has he in his house after him, when the number of his months is ended?

Why then do you give me comfort with words in which there is no profit, when you see that there is nothing in your answers but deceit?

For you have taken your brother's goods when he was not in your debt, and have taken away the clothing of those who have need of it.

For what is the hope of the sinner when he is cut off, when God takes back his soul?

Will his cry come to the ears of God when he is in trouble?

When those of his house who are still living come to their end by disease, they are not put into the earth, and their widows are not weeping for them.

He makes a deep mine far away from those living in the light of day; when they go about on the earth, they have no knowledge of those who are under them, who are hanging far from men, twisting from side to side on a cord.

When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters;

When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames;

If only I might again be as I was in the months which are past, in the days when God was watching over me!

When his light was shining over my head, and when I went through the dark by his light.

As I was in my flowering years, when my tent was covered by the hand of God;

When my steps were washed with milk, and rivers of oil were flowing out of the rock for me.

When I went out of my door to go up to the town, and took my seat in the public place,

For when it came to their ears, men said that I was truly happy; and when their eyes saw, they gave witness to me;

For I was a saviour to the poor when he was crying for help, to the child with no father, and to him who had no supporter.

I was laughing at them when they had no hope, and the light of my face was never clouded by their fear.

If I did wrong in the cause of my man-servant, or my woman-servant, when they went to law with me;

What then will I do when God comes as my judge? and what answer may I give to his questions?

If my hand had been lifted up against him who had done no wrong, when I saw that I was supported by the judges;

If, when I saw the sun shining, and the moon moving on its bright way,

If I was glad at the trouble of my hater, and gave cries of joy when evil overtook him;

And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, he was very angry.

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep comes on men, while they take their rest on their beds;

How much less when you say that you do not see him; that the cause is before him, and you are waiting for him.

Those who have no fear of God keep wrath stored up in their hearts; they give no cry for help when they are made prisoners.

You, whose clothing is warm, when the earth is quiet because of the south wind,

Where were you when I put the earth on its base? Say, if you have knowledge.

When the morning stars made songs together, and all the sons of the gods gave cries of joy?

Or where were you when the sea came to birth, pushing out from its secret place;

When I made the cloud its robe, and put thick clouds as bands round it,

When the earth becomes hard as metal, and is joined together in masses?

When they are stretched out in their holes, and are waiting in the brushwood?

Who gives in the evening the meat he is searching for, when his young ones are crying to God; when the young lions with loud noise go wandering after their food?

Is the number of their months fixed by you? or is the time when they give birth ordered by you?

When she is shaking her wings on high, she makes sport of the horse and of him who is seated on him.

When it comes to his ears he says, Aha! He is smelling the fight from far off, and hearing the thunder of the captains, and the war-cries.

Will anyone take him when he is on the watch, or put metal teeth through his nose?

When he gets ready for the fight, the strong are overcome with fear.