But in response, Satan asked the LORD, "Does Job fear God for nothing?

But he replied to her, "You're talking like foolish women do. Are we to accept what is good from God but not tragedy?" Throughout all of this, Job did not sin by what he said.

Let the stars of its evening twilight be dark; let it hope for light but let there be none; let it not see the breaking rays of the dawn.

"But now it's your turn, and you're the one who is worn out! Now it's striking you, and you're dismayed!

"The lioness may roar, and the lion cub may growl; but even the ivory teeth of the full grown lion are broken.

It remained standing, but I couldn't recognize its appearance. A form appeared before my eyes; At first there was silence, and then this voice:

"I myself saw a fool becoming established, but I suddenly cursed where he lived.

But mankind is born headed for trouble, just as sparks soar skyward."

because though he wounds, but then applies bandages; though he strikes, his hands still heal.

But my brothers have acted treacherously like a cascading river, like torrential rivers that overflow.

But then the snow melts, and they disappear; when warmed, they evaporate from their stream beds.

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

"When I lie down I ask, "When will I wake up?' But the night continues and I keep tossing and turning until dawn.

The eyes of the one who sees me won't see me anymore; your eyes will look for me but I won't be around!

For I've said, "My bed will comfort me; my couch will ease my burdens while I complain.'

But then you scared me with dreams; you terrified me with visions.

Why haven't you pardoned my transgression and taken away my iniquity? Now I'm about to lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I won't be around!"

Your beginning may be small, but later years will be very great.

He leans against his house, but it won't stand; he grabs hold of it firmly, but it doesn't last.

"Indeed, I'm fully aware that this is so, but how can a person become right with God?

"My days pass faster than a runner; but they pass quickly without seeing anything good.

you'll still drop me into the Pit, and my own clothes will despise me.

Your hands formed and fashioned me, but then you have destroyed me all at once on all sides.

But you've hidden these things in your heart I know this was your purpose:

But if I do lift up my head, you will hunt me like a lion! You will perform miracles in order to fight against me.

"But what if God were to speak? What if he were to talk with you,

But what the wicked look for will fail; their way of escape will be taken away from them; their only hope is to take their final breath."

"I'm a laughingstock to my friends, someone who called on God. But then he answered this upright and blameless man, and I have become a laughingstock.

He makes nations great, and then destroys them; he enlarges nations, but then sends them away to captivity.

But I want to talk to the Almighty; and I'm determined to argue my case before God."

"But as for you, you whitewash with lies; all of you are worthless quacks.

Why shouldn't I bite my flesh or take my life in my hands?

the presence of water will make it to bud so that it sprouts new branches like a young plant.

"But when a person dies and wastes away, when a person breathes his last, where will he be?

Then you'll certainly count every step I took, but you won't keep an inventory of my sin.

Water wears away stones; floods wash away topsoil from the land but you destroy the hope of human beings just like that!

"I could also talk like you if only you were in my place! Then I would put together an argument against you. I would shake my head at you

"But if I speak, my pain isn't assuaged; if I refrain from speaking, what do I have to lose?"

But the righteous person will hold to his way, and those with clean hands will grow stronger and stronger."

"If my hope were that my house is the afterlife itself, if I were to make my bed in darkness,

if I call out to the Pit, "You're my father!' or say to the worm, "My mother!' or "My sister!'

"Although I cried out "Violence!' I received no answer; I cried for help, but there was no justice.

"I call to my servant, but he doesn't respond, even though I beg to him earnestly.

My wife says my breath stinks; even my children say I smell bad!

"How often do the wicked have their lights put out? Does calamity ever fall on them? Will God in his anger ever apportion their destruction?

you see nothing but darkness, and a flood of troubles drowns you."

"For when they're humbled, you may respond; "It's their pride!' but he delivers the humble.

"But he is One who can change him? He does whatever he wants to do.

From the city, dying men groan aloud, and the wounded cries out for help, but God charges no one with wrong.

God prolongs the life of the strong by his power, but they get up in the morning without purpose in life.

He gives them security and financial support, but he watches everything they do.

They're exalted momentarily, but then they are gone; they are humbled, just like all the others. They are cut down like heads of corn.

Indeed, these are the fringes of his ways, and how faint is the whisper we've heard of it! But who can comprehend the thunder of his might?"

He will go to bed wealthy, but won't be doing that anymore! When he opens his eyes, it will be gone!

but it will clap its hands over him, hissing at him as it lunges toward him."

I put on righteousness like clothing; my just decisions were like a robe and a turban.

"But now they mock me; men who are far younger than I, whose fathers I would have hated to entrust with my own sheep dogs.

"Now, I've become the object of their mocking melodies; I'm nothing but a fool's proverb to them!

They abhor me they keep their distance from me; but they don't refrain from spitting at the sight of me.

But God has loosened his cord and afflicted me; so they've cast off all restraints in my presence.

I cry for help to you, but you won't answer me; I stand still, but you only look at me.

I have hoped for good, but evil came instead; I have hoped for light, but darkness came.

But my harp is in mourning; my flute plays only songs for those who are weeping."

"If I've put my confidence in gold, if I've told gold, "You're my security,'

But then Barachel's son Elihu from Buz, one of Ram's descendants, got really angry. He was furious with Job because he had been declaring himself righteous instead of vindicating God.

Furthermore, he was furious with his three friends because they had not answered Job, but instead had condemned him.

but when he saw that there had been no response from those three, he got even more angry.

Indeed, I paid close attention to you all, but none of you were able to refute Job or answer his arguments convincingly.

"God speaks time and time again but nobody notices

sparing his soul from the Pit and his life from violent death.

"He is being reproved by painful bed rest, with continual aching in his bones.

His soul is getting close to the Pit; his life is approaching its executioner."

to show favor to him and to plead, "Deliver him from having to go down to the Pit I know where his ransom is!'

He has redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit; my life will see the light.'

to bring back his soul from the Pit; to light him with the light of life."

But if you have nothing to say, then at least listen to me! Be quiet and learn some wisdom from me."

"Should you not be paid back, since you have rejected him? You do the choosing! I won't! Tell us what you know!

"They cry out there, but he doesn't answer because of the arrogance of those who practice evil.

"But if they won't listen, they'll perish by the sword and die in their ignorance.

But now you are occupied with the case of the wicked; but justice and judgment will be served.

"The wings of the ostrich flap joyously, but aren't its pinions and feathers like the stork?

but she forgets that a foot might crush them or any wild animal might trample them.

I spoke once, but I can't answer; I tried a second time, but I won't do so anymore."

"Will you play with him like a pet bird? Will you put a leash on him for your little girls?

Smoke billows from his nostrils; like a boiling pot or burning reeds.

He causes the deep to boil like water in a pot, and churns the sea like one stirs ointment.