The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Then Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming around on the earth and from walking around on it.”

The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Then Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming around on the earth and from walking around on it.”

Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; for they had made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and to comfort him.

“As for that night, let darkness seize it;
Let it not rejoice among the days of the year;
Let it not be counted in the number of the months.

“Behold, let that night be barren [and empty];
Let no joyful voice enter it.

Who wait for death, but it does not come,
And dig (search) for death more [diligently] than for hidden treasures,

“For my groaning comes at the sight of my food,
And my cries [of despair] are poured out like water.

“For the thing which I greatly fear comes upon me,
And that of which I am afraid has come upon me.

“I am not at ease, nor am I quiet,
And I am not at rest, and yet trouble still comes [upon me].”

“But now adversity comes upon you, and you are impatient and intolerant;
It touches you, and you are horrified.

“For affliction does not come forth from the dust,
Nor does trouble spring forth from the ground.

“You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
And you will not be afraid of destruction when it comes.

“You will come to your grave in old age,
Like the stacking of grain [on the threshing floor] in its season.

“As a cloud vanishes and is gone,
So he who goes down to Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) does not come up.

I am afraid of all my pains and worries [yet to come];
I know that You will not acquit me and leave me unpunished.

“For God is not a [mere] man, as I am, that I may answer Him,
That we may go to court and judgment together.

“With the aged [you say] is wisdom,
And with long life is understanding.

“Be silent before me so that I may speak;
And let happen to me what may.

“This also will be my salvation,
For a godless man may not come before Him.

“How many are my iniquities and sins [that so much sorrow should come to me]?
Make me recognize and understand my transgression and my sin.

“Like a flower he comes forth and withers;
He also flees like a shadow and does not remain.

“If a man dies, will he live again?
I will wait all the days of my struggle
Until my change and release will come.

“His sons achieve honor, and he does not know it;
They become insignificant, and he is not aware of it.

“A [dreadful] sound of terrors is in his ears;
While at peace and in a time of prosperity the destroyer comes upon him [the tent of the robber is not at peace].

“For when a few years are past,
I shall go the way of no return.

“But as for all of you, come back again,
Even though I do not find a wise man among you.

“Those in the west are astonished and appalled at his fate,
And those in the east are seized with horror.

“His troops come together
And build up their way and siege works against me
And camp around my tent.

“In the fullness of his excess (great abundance) he will be in trouble;
The hand of everyone who suffers will come against him [he is miserable on every side].

“The arrow is drawn forth and it comes out of his back [after passing through his body];
Yes, the glittering point comes out of his gall.
Terrors march in upon him;

“How often [then] is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out,
And that their disaster falls on them?
Does God distribute pain and destruction and sorrow [to them] in His anger?

“Now yield and submit yourself to Him [agree with God and be conformed to His will] and be at peace;
In this way [you will prosper and great] good will come to you.

“Oh, that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might [even] come to His seat!

“But He knows the way that I take [and He pays attention to it].
When He has tried me, I will come forth as [refined] gold [pure and luminous].

“Will God hear his cry
When trouble and distress come upon him?

“[As for] the earth, out of it comes food,
But underneath [its surface, down deep] it is turned over as fire.

“From where then does wisdom come?
And where is the place of understanding?

“As through a wide breach they come,
Amid the crash [of falling walls] they roll on [over me].

“I am seething within and my heart is troubled and cannot rest;
Days of affliction come to meet me.

So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him,
And He heard the cry of the afflicted.

“Out of its chamber comes the storm,
And cold from the north wind.

“Whether [it be] for correction, or for His earth [generally]
Or for [His] mercy and lovingkindness, He causes it to happen.

“Out of the north comes golden splendor [and people can hardly look on it];
Around God is awesome splendor and majesty [far too glorious for man’s eyes].

And said, ‘This far you shall come, but no farther;
And here your proud waves shall stop’?

“Who can penetrate or strip off his outer armor?
Who can come to his jaws with a double bridle?

“One is so near to another
That no air can come between them.