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

It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts." Job did so continually.

Now it happened on the day when God's sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, that Satan also came among them.

Yahweh said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant, Job? For there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil."

Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing?

While he was still speaking, there also came another, and said, "The fire of God has fallen from the sky, and has burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

In all this, Job did not sin, nor charge God with wrongdoing.

Again it happened on the day when the God's sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, that Satan came also among them to present himself before Yahweh.

Yahweh said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? For there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil. He still maintains his integrity, although you incited me against him, to ruin him without cause."

Then his wife said to him, "Do you still maintain your integrity? Renounce God, and die."

But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this Job didn't sin with his lips.

Let that day be darkness. Don't let God from above seek for it, neither let the light shine on it.

For now should I have lain down and been quiet. I should have slept, then I would have been at rest,

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

I am not at ease, neither am I quiet, neither have I rest; but trouble comes."

"Remember, now, whoever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?

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

'Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

His children are far from safety. They are crushed in the gate. Neither is there any to deliver them,

"But as for me, I would seek God. I would commit my cause to God,

"Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects. Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.

Look this, we have searched it, so it is. Hear it, and know it for your good."

For the arrows of the Almighty are within me. My spirit drinks up their poison. The terrors of God set themselves in array against me.

"Oh that I might have my request, that God would grant the thing that I long for,

even that it would please God to crush me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

Oh remember that my life is a breath. My eye shall no more see good.

Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?

If you want to seek God diligently, make your supplication to the Almighty.

While it is yet in its greenness, not cut down, it withers before any other reed.

So are the paths of all who forget God. The hope of the godless man shall perish,

"Behold, God will not cast away a blameless man, neither will he uphold the evildoers.

"Truly I know that it is so, but how can man be just with God?

God who is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who has hardened himself against him, and prospered?

"God will not withdraw his anger. The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.

"Now my days are swifter than a runner. They flee away, they see no good,

I will tell God, 'Do not condemn me. Show me why you contend with me.

Is it good to you that you should oppress, that you should despise the work of your hands, and smile on the counsel of the wicked?

But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against you,

that he would show you the secrets of wisdom! For true wisdom has two sides. Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves.

"Can you fathom the mystery of God? Or can you probe the limits of the Almighty?

I am like one who is a joke to his neighbor, I, who called on God, and he answered. The just, the blameless man is a joke.

The tents of robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their God in their hands.

"With God is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.

"Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God.

Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him?

Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God?

Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?

He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn't continue.

"For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, that the tender branch of it will not cease.

Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or with speeches with which he can do no good?

Yes, you do away with fear, and hinder devotion before God.

Have you heard the secret counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?

Are the consolations of God too small for you, even the word that is gentle toward you?

That you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?

Because he has stretched out his hand against God, and behaves himself proudly against the Almighty;

He shall not depart out of darkness. The flame shall dry up his branches. By the breath of God's mouth shall he go away.

But now, God, you have surely worn me out. You have made desolate all my company.

God delivers me to the ungodly, and casts me into the hands of the wicked.

My friends scoff at me. My eyes pour out tears to God,

that he would maintain the right of a man with God, of a son of man with his neighbor!

His roots shall be dried up beneath. Above shall his branch be cut off.

Surely such are the dwellings of the unrighteous. This is the place of him who doesn't know God."

know now that God has subverted me, and has surrounded me with his net.

"Have pity on me, have pity on me, you my friends; for the hand of God has touched me.

Why do you persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?

After my skin is destroyed, then in my flesh shall I see God,

He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.

When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath on him. It will rain on him while he is eating.

This is the portion of a wicked man from God, the heritage appointed to him by God."

Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.

They tell God, 'Depart from us, for we don't want to know about your ways.

"How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows in his anger?

You say, 'God lays up his iniquity for his children.' Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.

For what does he care for his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?

"Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?

One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.

Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of good.

"Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.

"Isn't God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!

You say, 'What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?

who said to God, 'Depart from us;' and, 'What can the Almighty do for us?'

Yet he filled their houses with good things, but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

saying, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed the remnant of them.'

"Acquaint yourself with him, now, and be at peace. Thereby good shall come to you.

For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and shall lift up your face to God.

For God has made my heart faint. The Almighty has terrified me.

Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither did he cover the thick darkness from my face.

They cut their provender in the field. They glean the vineyard of the wicked.

From out of the populous city, men groan. The soul of the wounded cries out, yet God doesn't regard the folly.

Yet God preserves the mighty by his power. He rises up who has no assurance of life.

God gives them security, and they rest in it. His eyes are on their ways.

They are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone. Yes, they are brought low, they are taken out of the way as all others, and are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.

How then can man be just with God? Or how can he who is born of a woman be clean?

Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.

"As God lives, who has taken away my right, the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter.

(For the length of my life is still in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils);

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

Will God hear his cry when trouble comes on him?

Will he delight himself in the Almighty, and call on God at all times?

I will teach you about the hand of God. That which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.