There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And that man was pure and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.

When the days of their feasting were finished, Job would send for them and sanctify them; he would get up early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job thought, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's customary practice.

Now the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord -- and Satan also arrived among them.

So the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil."

Then Satan answered the Lord, "Is it for nothing that Job fears God?

While this one was still speaking, another messenger arrived and said, "The fire of God has fallen from heaven and has burned up the sheep and the servants -- it has consumed them! And I -- only I alone -- escaped to tell you!"

Then Job got up and tore his robe. He shaved his head, and then he threw himself down with his face to the ground.

In all this Job did not sin, nor did he charge God with moral impropriety.

Again the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also arrived among them to present himself before the Lord.

Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil. And he still holds firmly to his integrity, so that you stirred me up to destroy him without reason."

Then his wife said to him, "Are you still holding firmly to your integrity? Curse God, and die!"

But he replied, "You're talking like one of the godless women would do! Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil?" In all this Job did not sin by what he said.

That day -- let it be darkness; let not God on high regard it, nor let light shine on it!

For now I would be lying down and would be quiet, I would be asleep and then at peace

"Why does God give light to one who is in misery, and life to those whose soul is bitter,

Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?

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

"Is a mortal man righteous before God? Or a man pure before his Creator?

If God puts no trust in his servants and attributes folly to his angels,

"But as for me, I would seek God, and to God I would set forth my case.

"Therefore, blessed is the man whom God corrects, so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.

Look, we have investigated this, so it is true. Hear it, and apply it for your own good."

For the arrows of the Almighty are within me; my spirit drinks their poison; God's sudden terrors are arrayed against me.

"Oh that my request would be realized, and that God would grant me what I long for!

And that God would be willing to crush me, that he would let loose his hand and kill me.

"Now then, be good enough to look at me; and I will not lie to your face!

Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert what is right?

But if you will look to God, and make your supplication to the Almighty,

Such is the destiny of all who forget God; the hope of the godless perishes,

"Surely, God does not reject a blameless man, nor does he grasp the hand of the evildoers.

"Truly, I know that this is so. But how can a human be just before God?

God does not restrain his anger; under him the helpers of Rahab lie crushed.

I will say to God, 'Do not condemn me; tell me why you are contending with me.'

Is it good for you to oppress, to despise the work of your hands, while you smile on the schemes of the wicked?

But if only God would speak, if only he would open his lips against you,

and reveal to you the secrets of wisdom -- for true wisdom has two sides -- so that you would know that God has forgiven some of your sins.

"Can you discover the essence of God? Can you find out the perfection of the Almighty?

I am a laughingstock to my friends, I, who called on God and whom he answered -- a righteous and blameless man is a laughingstock!

But the tents of robbers are peaceful, and those who provoke God are confident -- who carry their god in their hands.

"With God are wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.

But I wish to speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God.

Will you speak wickedly on God's behalf? Will you speak deceitfully for him?

Will you show him partiality? Will you argue the case for God?

Only in two things spare me, O God, and then I will not hide from your face:

"But there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail.

But you even break off piety, and hinder meditation before God.

Do you listen in on God's secret council? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?

Are God's consolations too trivial for you; or a word spoken in gentleness to you?

when you turn your rage against God and allow such words to escape from your mouth?

If God places no trust in his holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,

for he stretches out his hand against God, and vaunts himself against the Almighty,

He will not escape the darkness; a flame will wither his shoots and he will depart by the breath of God's mouth.

God abandons me to evil men, and throws me into the hands of wicked men.

My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God;

and he contends with God on behalf of man as a man pleads for his friend.

Surely such is the residence of an evil man; and this is the place of one who has not known God.'"

know then that God has wronged me and encircled me with his net.

Even youngsters have scorned me; when I get up, they scoff at me.

Have pity on me, my friends, have pity on me, for the hand of God has struck me.

Why do you pursue me like God does? Will you never be satiated with my flesh?

And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God,

The wealth that he consumed he vomits up, God will make him throw it out of his stomach.

"While he is filling his belly, God sends his burning anger against him, and rains down his blows upon him.

A flood will carry off his house, rushing waters on the day of God's wrath.

Such is the lot God allots the wicked, and the heritage of his appointment from God."

Their houses are safe and without fear; and no rod of punishment from God is upon them.

So they say to God, 'Turn away from us! We do not want to know your ways.

"How often is the lamp of the wicked extinguished? How often does their misfortune come upon them? How often does God apportion pain to them in his anger?

You may say, 'God stores up a man's punishment for his children!' Instead let him repay the man himself so that he may know it!

Can anyone teach God knowledge, since he judges those that are on high?

And another man dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted anything good.

that the evil man is spared from the day of his misfortune, that he is delivered from the day of God's wrath?

"Is it to God that a strong man is of benefit? Is it to him that even a wise man is profitable?

"Is not God on high in heaven? And see the lofty stars, how high they are!

But you have said, 'What does God know? Does he judge through such deep darkness?

They were saying to God, 'Turn away from us,' and 'What can the Almighty do to us?'

But it was he who filled their houses with good things -- yet the counsel of the wicked was far from me.

"Reconcile yourself with God, and be at peace with him; in this way your prosperity will be good.

Surely then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face toward God.

Indeed, God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me.

From the city the dying groan, and the wounded cry out for help, but God charges no one with wrongdoing.

But God drags off the mighty by his power; when God rises up against him, he has no faith in his life.

God may let them rest in a feeling of security, but he is constantly watching all their ways.

They are exalted for a little while, and then they are gone, they are brought low like all others, and gathered in, and like a head of grain they are cut off.'

"Dominion and awesome might belong to God; he establishes peace in his heights.

How then can a human being be righteous before God? How can one born of a woman be pure?

The underworld is naked before God; the place of destruction lies uncovered.

By his power he stills the sea; by his wisdom he cut Rahab the great sea monster to pieces.

"As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter --

for while my spirit is still in me, and the breath from God is in my nostrils,

For what hope does the godless have when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?

Does God listen to his cry when distress overtakes him?

Will he find delight in the Almighty? Will he call out to God at all times?

I will teach you about the power of God; What is on the Almighty's mind I will not conceal.

This is the portion of the wicked man allotted by God, the inheritance that evildoers receive from the Almighty.

He has cut out channels through the rocks; his eyes have spotted every precious thing.

God understands the way to it, and he alone knows its place.

"O that I could be as I was in the months now gone, in the days when God watched over me,

just as I was in my most productive time, when God's intimate friendship was experienced in my tent,

When I went out to the city gate and secured my seat in the public square,