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

His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the children of the east.

And his sons went and held a feast in the house of each one upon his day; and they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, 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. Thus did Job continually.

Now it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, that Satan also came among them.

Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath, on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

And Jehovah said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thy hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of Jehovah.

and the Sabeans fell upon them , and took them away: yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have taken them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

and, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

and he said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: Jehovah gave, and Jehovah hath taken away; blessed be the name of Jehovah.

Again it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, that Satan came also among them to present himself before Jehovah.

So Satan went forth from the presence of Jehovah, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity? renounce God, and die.

But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, and they made an appointment together to come to bemoan him and to comfort him.

And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his robe, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own; Let a cloud dwell upon it; Let all that maketh black the day terrify it.

As for that night, let thick darkness seize upon it: Let it not rejoice among the days of the year; Let it not come into the number of the months.

Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark: Let it look for light, but have none; Neither let it behold the eyelids of the morning:

Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, Nor hid trouble from mine eyes.

With kings and counsellors of the earth, Who built up waste places for themselves;

There the prisoners are at ease together; They hear not the voice of the taskmaster.

For the thing which I fear cometh upon me, And that which I am afraid of cometh unto me.

If one assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?

Is not thy fear of God thy confidence, And the integrity of thy ways thy hope?

Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?

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

The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.

In thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth on men,

Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair of my flesh stood up.

How much more them that dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before the moth!

Call now; is there any that will answer thee? And to which of the holy ones wilt thou turn?

Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, And taketh it even out of the thorns; And the snare gapeth for their substance.

For affliction cometh not forth from the dust, Neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;

He frustrateth the devices of the crafty, So that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

He taketh the wise in their own craftiness; And the counsel of the cunning is carried headlong.

But he saveth from the sword of their mouth, Even the needy from the hand of the mighty.

Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.

In famine he will redeem thee from death; And in war from the power of the sword.

Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue; Neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.

At destruction and dearth thou shalt laugh; Neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field; And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.

Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, And thine offspring as the grass of the earth.

Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, Like as a shock of grain cometh in in its season.

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas: Therefore have my words been rash.

For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, The poison whereof my spirit drinketh up: The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

Can that which hath no savor be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

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

And be it still my consolation, Yea, let me exult in pain that spareth not, That I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh of brass?

To him that is ready to faint kindness'should be showed from his friend; Even to him that forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, As the channel of brooks that pass away;

Which are black by reason of the ice, And wherein the snow hideth itself:

What time they wax warm, they vanish; When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

The caravans that travel by the way of them turn aside; They go up into the waste, and perish.

The caravans of Tema looked, The companies of Sheba waited for them.

Did I say, Give unto me? Or, Offer a present for me of your substance?

Or, Deliver me from the adversary's hand? Or, Redeem me from the hand of the oppressors?

How forcible are words of uprightness! But your reproof, what doth it reprove?

Do ye think to reprove words, Seeing that the speeches of one that is desperate are as wind?

Yea, ye would cast lots upon the fatherless, And make merchandise of your friend.

Is there not a warfare to man upon earth? And are not his days like the days of a hireling?

So am I made to possess months of misery, And wearisome nights are appointed to me.

When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? And I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; My skin closeth up, and breaketh out afresh.

The eye of him that seeth me shall behold me no more; Thine eyes shall be upon me, but I shall not be.

Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

If I have sinned, what do I unto thee, O thou watcher of men? Why hast thou set me as a mark for thee, So that I am a burden to myself?

How long wilt thou speak these things? And how long'shall the words of thy mouth be like a mighty wind?

If thy children have sinned against him, And he hath delivered them into the hand of their transgression;

If thou wouldest seek diligently unto God, And make thy supplication to the Almighty;

If thou wert pure and upright: Surely now he would awake for thee, And make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, And apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out:

(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days upon earth are a shadow);

Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, And utter words out of their heart?

So are the paths of all that forget God; And the hope of the godless man shall perish:

His roots are wrapped about the'stone -heap, He beholdeth the place of stones.

If he be destroyed from his place, Then it shall deny him,'saying , I have not seen thee.

Behold, this is the joy of his way; And out of the earth shall others spring.

They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; And the tent of the wicked shall be no more.

Of a truth I know that it is so: But how can man be just with God?

If he be pleased to contend with him, He cannot answer him one of a thousand.

That shaketh the earth out of its place, And the pillars thereof tremble;

That alone stretcheth out the heavens, And treadeth upon the waves of the sea;

That maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;

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

If I had called, and he had answered me, Yet would I not believe that he hearkened unto my voice.

If we speak of strength, lo, he is mighty! And if of justice, Who,'saith he , will summon me?

If the scourge slay suddenly, He will mock at the trial of the innocent.

The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He covereth the faces of the judges thereof: If it be not he , who then is it?

If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my'sad countenance, and be of good cheer;

I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

If I wash myself with snow water, And make my hands never so clean;

My soul is weary of my life; I will give free course to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, That thou shouldest despise the work of thy hands, And shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

Hast thou eyes of flesh? Or seest thou as man seeth?

Are thy days as the days of man, Or thy years as man's days,