And there were born to him seven sons and three daughters.

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 there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their brother, the firstborn.

And there came a messenger to Job and said, The oxen were ploughing, and the asses feeding beside them;

While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their brother, the firstborn;

That night let gloom seize upon it; let it not rejoice among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.

Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to rouse Leviathan;

Or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver;

Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants that have not seen the light.

There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the wearied are at rest.

The prisoners together are at ease; they hear not the voice of the taskmaster.

The small and great are there, and the bondman freed from his master.

Who rejoice even exultingly and are glad when they find the grave? --

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

If a word were essayed to thee, wouldest thou be grieved? But who can refrain from speaking?

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

By the breath of +God they perish, and by the blast of his nostrils are they consumed.

The roar of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken;

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

Now to me a word was secretly brought, and mine ear received a whisper thereof.

How much more them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed as the moth!

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

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

Setting up on high those that are low; and mourners are exalted to prosperity.

In famine he will redeem thee from death, and in war from the power of the sword.

Oh that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances!

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.

Which are turbid by reason of the ice, in which the snow hideth itself:

At the time they diminish, they are dried up; when heat affecteth them, they vanish from their place:

They are ashamed at their hope; they come thither, and are confounded.

So now ye are nothing; ye see a terrible object and are afraid.

Did I say, Bring unto me, and make me a present from your substance?

Or, rescue me from the hand of the oppressor, and redeem me from the hand of the violent?

How forcible are right words! but what doth your upbraiding reprove?

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.

Now therefore if ye will, look upon me; and it shall be to your face if I lie.

Hath not man a life of labour upon earth? and are not his days like the days of a hireling?

So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.

My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.

The eye of him that hath seen me shall behold me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.

Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, that thou settest a watch over me?

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

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

So are the paths of all that forget God; and the profane man's hope shall perish,

His roots are entwined about the stoneheap; he seeth the place of stones.

Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.

If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.

Were I perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

And my days are swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no good.

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

Are thy days as the days of a mortal? are thy years as a man's days,

If I were wicked, woe unto me! and righteous, I will not lift up my head, being so full of shame, and beholding mine affliction; --

Thou renewest thy witnesses before me and increasest thy displeasure against me; successions of evil and a time of toil are with me.

Are not my days few? cease then and let me alone, that I may revive a little,

A land of gloom, as darkness itself; of the shadow of death, without any order, where the light is as thick darkness.

And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, how that they are the double of what is realised; and know that +God passeth by much of thine iniquity!

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

Truly ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you!

The tents of desolators are in peace, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand +God bringeth.

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

Doth not the ear try words, as the palate tasteth food?

With him is strength and effectual knowledge; the deceived and the deceiver are his.

Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.

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

Oh that ye would be altogether silent! and it would be your wisdom.

Will it be well if he should search you out? or as one mocketh at a man, will ye mock at him?

Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, your bulwarks are bulwarks of mire.

Hold your peace from me, and I will speak, and let come on me what will!

Hear attentively my speech and my declaration with your ears.

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

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

How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin.

If his days are determined, if the number of his months is with thee, and thou hast appointed his bounds which he must not pass,

But a man dieth, and is prostrate; yea, man expireth, and where is he?

So man lieth down, and riseth not again; till the heavens be no more, they do not awake, nor are raised out of their sleep.

The waters wear the stones, the floods thereof wash away the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.

His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, and he perceiveth it not.

Both the greyheaded and the aged are with us, older than thy father.

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

Behold, he putteth no trust in his holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in his sight:

All his days the wicked man is tormented, and numbered years are allotted to the violent.

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

And he dwelleth in desolate cities, in houses that no man inhabiteth, which are destined to become heaps.

I have heard many such things: grievous comforters are ye all.

Shall words of wind have an end? or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?

I also could speak as ye: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could join together words against you, and shake my head at you;

But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips should assuage your pain.

My friends are my mockers; mine eye poureth out tears unto +God.

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

My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are mine.

Are there not mockers around me? and doth not mine eye abide in their provocation?

And mine eye is dim by reason of grief, and all my members are as a shadow.

My days are past, my purposes are broken off, the cherished thoughts of my heart.

And where is then my hope? yea, my hope, who shall see it?

It shall go down to the bars of Sheol, when our rest shall be together in the dust.

Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed stupid in your sight?

They who are none of his shall dwell in his tent; brimstone shall be showered upon his habitation: