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

So the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.”

“For my groaning comes at the sight of my food,
And my cries pour out like water.

“The lion perishes for lack of prey,
And the whelps of the lioness are scattered.

‘Can mankind be just before God?
Can a man be pure before his Maker?

“But He saves from the sword of their mouth,
And the poor from the hand of the mighty.

“In famine He will redeem you from death,
And in war from the power of the sword.

“Does the wild donkey bray over his grass,
Or does the ox low over his fodder?

“If your sons sinned against Him,
Then He delivered them into the power of their transgression.

If you are pure and upright,
Surely now He would rouse Himself for you
And restore your righteous estate.

Who makes the Bear, Orion and the Pleiades,
And the chambers of the south;

“If it is a matter of power, behold, He is the strong one!
And if it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?

“They slip by like reed boats,
Like an eagle that swoops on its prey.

‘Did You not pour me out like milk
And curdle me like cheese;

‘Should my head be lifted up, You would hunt me like a lion;
And again You would show Your power against me.

“For you have said, ‘My teaching is pure,
And I am innocent in your eyes.’

“The tents of the destroyers prosper,
And those who provoke God are secure,
Whom God brings into their power.

“What is man, that he should be pure,
Or he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

“Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones,
And the heavens are not pure in His sight;

Although there is no violence in my hands,
And my prayer is pure.

“His sons favor the poor,
And his hands give back his wealth.

“For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor;
He has seized a house which he has not built.

“Bear with me that I may speak;
Then after I have spoken, you may mock.

“You will pray to Him, and He will hear you;
And you will pay your vows.

“Would He contend with me by the greatness of His power?
No, surely He would pay attention to me.

“They push the needy aside from the road;
The poor of the land are made to hide themselves altogether.

“Others snatch the orphan from the breast,
And against the poor they take a pledge.

“They cause the poor to go about naked without clothing,
And they take away the sheaves from the hungry.

“The murderer arises at dawn;
He kills the poor and the needy,
And at night he is as a thief.

“But He drags off the valiant by His power;
He rises, but no one has assurance of life.

“If even the moon has no brightness
And the stars are not pure in His sight,

“He quieted the sea with His power,
And by His understanding He shattered Rahab.

“I will instruct you in the power of God;
What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.

“For it will hurl at him without sparing;
He will surely try to flee from its power.

“The path no bird of prey knows,
Nor has the falcon’s eye caught sight of it.

“Pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it,
Nor can silver be weighed as its price.

“The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,
Nor can it be valued in pure gold.

Because I delivered the poor who cried for help,
And the orphan who had no helper.

“I broke the jaws of the wicked
And snatched the prey from his teeth.

“If I have kept the poor from their desire,
Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

‘I am pure, without transgression;
I am innocent and there is no guilt in me.

Then he will pray to God, and He will accept him,
That he may see His face with joy,
And He may restore His righteousness to man.

Who shows no partiality to princes
Nor regards the rich above the poor,
For they all are the work of His hands?

So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him,
And that He might hear the cry of the afflicted—

“Behold, God is exalted in His power;
Who is a teacher like Him?

Which the clouds pour down,
They drip upon man abundantly.

“The Almighty—we cannot find Him;
He is exalted in power
And He will not do violence to justice and abundant righteousness.

“Can you lead forth a constellation in its season,
And guide the Bear with her satellites?

“Can you hunt the prey for the lion,
Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

“Pour out the overflowings of your anger,
And look on everyone who is proud, and make him low.

“Behold now, his strength in his loins
And his power in the muscles of his belly.

Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.”