And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and 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 ended, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose 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 cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

And the LORD said to Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down upon it.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God hath fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I only have 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 carried them away, yes, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only have escaped alone to tell thee.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

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 have escaped alone to tell thee.

And the LORD said to Satan, Whence comest thou? and Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down upon it.

And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself with it; and he sat down among the ashes.

But he said to 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.

Let the day perish in which I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a mail child conceived.

Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.

Let darkness and the shades of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined to the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.

Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.

Let the stars of its twilight be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:

Because it prevented not my birth, nor hid sorrow from my eyes.

Why died I not from the womb? why did I not expire at the time of my birth?

For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,

There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary are at rest.

Who long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;

For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.

I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.

But now it hath come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a small sound of it.

It stood still, but I could not discern its form: an image was before my eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,

They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.

Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.

Although affliction cometh not forth from the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;

Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

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

At destruction and famine 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.

Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.

Can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

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

Then should I yet have comfort; yes, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is my end, that I should prolong my life?

In the time when they become warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand in what I have erred.

How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?

Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident to you if I lie.

Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yes, return again, my righteousness is in it.

I lothe it; I would not live always: let me alone; for my days are vanity.

What is man, that thou shouldst magnify him? and that thou shouldst set thy heart upon him?

I have sinned; what shall I do to thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end would greatly increase.

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

Whilst it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.

He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.

If he shall destroy him 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 grow.

I know it to be so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and its pillars tremble.

Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

Who doeth great things past finding out; yes, and wonders without number.

Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say to him, What doest thou?

How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

If I had called, and he had answered me; yet I would not believe that he had hearkened to my voice.

Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

This is one thing, therefore I said it, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

If the scourge shall slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, and my own clothes shall abhor me.

Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

Is it good to thee that thou shouldst oppress, that thou shouldst despise the work of thy hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thy hand.

Thy hands have made me and fashioned me in all my parts; yet thou dost destroy me.

Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?

If I be wicked, woe to me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou my affliction;

For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou showest thyself wonderful upon me.

Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?

It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

The measure of it is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

If thou preparest thy heart, and stretchest out thy hands towards him;

If iniquity is in thy hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare to thee.

Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

He revealeth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth to light the shades of death.

Lo, my eye hath seen all this, my ear hath heard and understood it.

What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior to you.

O that ye would altogether hold your peace and it would be your wisdom.

Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

Though he shall slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain my own ways before him.

Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

For there is hope of a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender branch will not cease.

Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens shall be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

If a man dieth, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change shall come.

And surely the mountain falling cometh to naught, and the rock is removed out of its place.

The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.

His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.

What knowest thou that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?