His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the children of the east.

It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, 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 renounced God in their hearts." Job did so continually.

Haven't you made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

But put forth your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will renounce you to your face."

Yahweh said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only on himself don't put forth your hand." So Satan went forth from the presence of Yahweh.

While he was still speaking, there also came another, and said, "The fire of God has fallen from the sky, and has burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

While he was still speaking, there came also another, and said, "The Chaldeans made three bands, and swept down on the camels, and have taken them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you."

While he was still speaking, there came also another, and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house,

In all this, Job did not sin, nor charge God with wrongdoing.

Satan answered Yahweh, and said, "Skin for skin. Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.

But put forth your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce you to your face."

But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this Job didn't sin with his lips.

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

Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own. Let a cloud dwell on it. Let all that makes black the day terrify it.

"If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?

fear came on me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.

"Call now; is there any who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?

For he wounds, and binds up. He injures, and his hands make whole.

He will deliver you in six troubles; yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.

In famine he will redeem you from death; in war, from the power of the sword.

"Oh that my anguish were weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances!

"Teach me, and I will hold my peace. Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

"Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?

Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I shall not be."

"How long will you speak these things? Shall the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?

While it is yet in its greenness, not cut down, it withers before any other reed.

So are the paths of all who forget God. The hope of the godless man shall perish,

"Behold, God will not cast away a blameless man, neither will he uphold the evildoers.

He will still fill your mouth with laughter, your lips with shouting.

Behold, he snatches away. Who can hinder him? Who will ask him, 'What are you doing?'

"God will not withdraw his anger. The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.

He will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If of justice, 'Who,' says he, 'will summon me?'

"It is all the same. Therefore I say he destroys the blameless and the wicked.

If the scourge kills suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the innocent.

If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and cheer up;'

I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that you will not hold me innocent.

yet you will plunge me in the ditch. My own clothes shall abhor 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.

I will tell God, 'Do not condemn me. Show me why you contend with me.

Remember, I beg you, that you have fashioned me as clay. Will you bring me into dust again?

if I sin, then you mark me. You will not acquit me from my iniquity.

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who doesn't know such things as these?

Who doesn't know that in all these, the hand of Yahweh has done this,

in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?

"Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it.

But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value.

Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?

Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?

Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?

He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality.

"Be silent, leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will.

Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.

Who is he who will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.

"Only don't do two things to me; then I will not hide myself from your face:

Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and you answer me.

Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble?

You also put my feet in the stocks, and mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet,

"For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, that the tender branch of it will not cease.

yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a plant.

If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my warfare would I wait, until my release should come.

"I will show you, listen to me; that which I have seen I will declare:

the wicked man writhes in pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.

"I have heard many such things. You are all miserable comforters!

But now, God, you have surely worn me out. You have made desolate all my company.

"Now give a pledge, be collateral for me with yourself. Who is there who will strike hands with me?

My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow. All my members are as a shadow.

But as for you all, come on now again; I shall not find a wise man among you.

"How long will you hunt for words? Consider, and afterwards we will speak.

A snare will take him by the heel. A trap will catch him.

"How long will you torment me, and crush me with words?

If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach;

All my familiar friends abhor me. They whom I loved have turned against me.

But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives. In the end, he will stand upon the earth.

If you say, 'How we will persecute him!' because the root of the matter is found in me,

though he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth;

He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.

When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath on him. It will rain on him while he is eating.

All darkness is laid up for his treasures. An unfanned fire shall devour him. It shall consume that which is left in his tent.

Allow me, and I also will speak; After I have spoken, mock on.

Yet he will be borne to the grave. Men shall keep watch over the tomb.

The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him. All men shall draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.

Will you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden,

The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.

For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and shall lift up your face to God.

You shall make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You shall pay your vows.

When they cast down, you shall say, 'be lifted up.' He will save the humble person.

He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of your hands."

They turn the needy out of the way. The poor of the earth all hide themselves.

They lie all night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.

They make oil within the walls of these men. They tread wine presses, and suffer thirst.

For the morning is to all of them like thick darkness, for they know the terrors of the thick darkness.

They are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone. Yes, they are brought low, they are taken out of the way as all others, and are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.

If it isn't so now, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech worth nothing?"

"Those who are deceased tremble, those beneath the waters and all that live in them.

Far be it from me that I should justify you. Until I die I will not put away my integrity from me.

I hold fast to my righteousness, and will not let it go. My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

Will God hear his cry when trouble comes on him?

Will he delight himself in the Almighty, and call on God at all times?