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.

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!"

and suddenly a great wind swept across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they died! And I -- only I alone -- escaped to tell you!"

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."

But Satan answered the Lord, "Skin for skin! Indeed, a man will give up all that he has to save his life!

When Job's three friends heard about all this calamity that had happened to him, each of them came from his own country -- Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to come to show sympathy for him and to console him.

Then they sat down with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, yet no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

Let its morning stars be darkened; let it wait for daylight but find none, nor let it see the first rays of dawn,

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

with kings and counselors of the earth who built for themselves places now desolate,

Small and great are there, and the slave is free from his master.

to those who wait for death that does not come, and search for it more than for hidden treasures,

For my sighing comes in place of my food, and my groanings flow forth like water.

For the very thing I dreaded has happened to me, and what I feared has come upon me.

The mighty lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

For wrath kills the foolish person, and anger slays the silly one.

His children are far from safety, and they are crushed at the place where judgment is rendered, nor is there anyone to deliver them.

For evil does not come up from the dust, nor does trouble spring up from the ground,

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

For he wounds, but he also bandages; he strikes, but his hands also heal.

For you will have a pact with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you.

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!

Then I would yet have my comfort, then I would rejoice, in spite of pitiless pain, for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

"To the one in despair, kindness should come from his friend even if he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

The caravans of Tema looked intently for these streams; the traveling merchants of Sheba hoped for them.

For now you have become like these streams that are no help; you see a terror, and are afraid.

"Teach me and I, for my part, will be silent; explain to me how I have been mistaken.

Yes, you would gamble for the fatherless, and auction off your friend.

Relent, let there be no falsehood; reconsider, for my righteousness is intact!

Like a servant longing for the evening shadow, and like a hired man looking for his wages,

The eye of him who sees me now will see me no more; your eyes will look for me, but I will be gone.

I loathe it; I do not want to live forever; leave me alone, for my days are a vapor!

And why do you not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust, and you will seek me diligently, but I will be gone."

if you become pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself for you, and will restore your righteous abode.

"For inquire now of the former generation, and pay attention to the findings of their ancestors;

For we were born yesterday and do not have knowledge, since our days on earth are but a shadow.

While they are still beginning to flower and not ripe for cutting, they can wither away faster than any grass!

It wraps its roots around a heap of stones and it looks for a place among stones.

Although I am innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my judge for mercy.

he who crushes me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds for no reason.

He does not allow me to recover my breath, for he fills me with bitterness.

I dread all my sufferings, for I know that you do not hold me blameless.

For he is not a human being like I am, that I might answer him, that we might come together in judgment.

Then would I speak and not fear him, but it is not so 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?

For you have said, 'My teaching is flawless, and I am pure in your sight.'

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.

For he knows deceitful men; when he sees evil, will he not consider it?

"As for you, if you prove faithful, and if you stretch out your hands toward him,

if iniquity is in your hand -- put it far away, and do not let evil reside in your tents.

For then you will lift up your face without blemish; you will be securely established and will not fear.

For you will forget your trouble; you will remember it like water that has flowed away.

For calamity, there is derision (according to the ideas of the fortunate) -- a fate for those whose feet slip!

If only you would keep completely silent! For you, that would be wisdom.

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?

Would not his splendor terrify you and the fear he inspires fall on you?

Moreover, this will become my deliverance, for no godless person would come before him.

Remove your hand far from me and stop making me afraid with your terror.

For you write down bitter things against me and cause me to inherit the sins of my youth.

Do you fix your eye on such a one? And do you bring me before you for judgment?

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

You will call and I -- I will answer you; you will long for the creature you have made.

You overpower him once for all, and he departs; you change his appearance and send him away.

Only his flesh has pain for himself, and he mourns for himself."

The gray-haired and the aged are on our side, men far older than your father.

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

All his days the wicked man suffers torment, throughout the number of the years that are stored up for the tyrant.

He does not expect to escape from darkness; he is marked for the sword;

he wanders about -- food for vultures; he knows that the day of darkness is at hand.

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

Let him not trust in what is worthless, deceiving himself; for worthlessness will be his reward.

For the company of the godless is barren, and fire consumes the tents of those who accept bribes.

"O earth, do not cover my blood, nor let there be a secret place for my cry.

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

For the years that lie ahead are few, and then I will go on the way of no return.

Make then my pledge with you. Who else will put up security for me?

If a man denounces his friends for personal gain, the eyes of his children will fail.

If I hope for the grave to be my home, if I spread out my bed in darkness,

You who tear yourself to pieces in your anger, will the earth be abandoned for your sake? Or will a rock be moved from its place?

"Yes, the lamp of the wicked is extinguished; his flame of fire does not shine.

For he has been thrown into a net by his feet and he wanders into a mesh.

A rope is hidden for him on the ground and a trap for him lies on the path.

Calamity is hungry for him, and misfortune is ready at his side.

Fire resides in his tent; over his residence burning sulfur is scattered.

"If I cry out, 'Violence!' I receive no answer; I cry for help, but there is no justice.

"He has put my relatives far from me; my acquaintances only turn away from me.

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

As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that as the last he will stand upon the earth.

whom I will see for myself, and whom my own eyes will behold, and not another. My heart grows faint within me.

Fear the sword yourselves, for wrath brings the punishment by the sword, so that you may know that there is judgment."

if he retains it for himself and does not let it go, and holds it fast in his mouth,

For he has oppressed the poor and abandoned them; he has seized a house which he did not build.

For he knows no satisfaction in his appetite; he does not let anything he desires escape.

"Nothing is left for him to devour; that is why his prosperity does not last.

Total darkness waits to receive his treasures; a fire which has not been kindled will consume him and devour what is left in his tent.

For, when I think about this, I am terrified and my body feels a shudder.