And Jehovah said to Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and abstaineth from evil?

Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.”

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.

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!"

He said,
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked I shall return there.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

And Jehovah said to Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and abstaineth from evil? and still he remaineth firm in his integrity, though thou movedst me against him, to swallow him up without cause.

Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.

Then said the LORD unto Satan, "Lo, there hast thou him in thy power, but spare his life."

Let destruction take the day of my birth, and the night on which it was said, A man child has come into the world.

There the passions of the evil are over, and those whose strength has come to an end have rest.

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

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

I have no ease, I have no quietness; I cannot rest; turmoil has come upon me."

Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands;

Thy words have upholden him that was stumbling, and thou hast braced up the bending knees:

“But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;
It touches you, and you are dismayed.

"Your fear of God has been your confidence, hasn't it? The integrity of your life has been your hope, hasn't it?

Remember, I pray thee, who that was innocent has perished? and where were the upright cut off?

What I have seen is that those by whom trouble has been ploughed, and evil planted, get the same for themselves.

For wrath is the cause of death to the foolish, and he who has no wisdom comes to his end through passion.

Their produce is taken by him who has no food, and their grain goes to the poor, and he who is in need of water gets it from their spring.

“So the helpless has hope,
And unrighteousness must shut its mouth.

Truly, that man is happy who has training from the hand of God: so do not let your heart be shut to the teaching of the Ruler of all.

And thou hast known that thy tent is peace, And inspected thy habitation, and errest not,

And hast known that numerous is Thy seed, And thine offspring as the herb of the earth;

See, we have made search with care, and it is so; it has come to our ears; see that you take note of it for yourself.

Does the ass of the fields give out his voice when he has grass? or does the ox make sounds over his food?

Will a man take food which has no taste without salt? or is there any taste in the soft substance of purslain?

My soul has no desire for such things, they are as disease in my food.

At least I could still take comfort and rejoice in unceasing anguish, for I didn't conceal what the Holy One has to say.

Is not my power to help myself nothing, and has not every resource been driven from me?

He whose heart is shut against his friend has given up the fear of the Ruler of all.

The truth can be painful, but what has your argument proven?

My words may seem wrong to you, but the words of him who has no hope are for the wind.

Has not man his ordered time of trouble on the earth? and are not his days like the days of a servant working for payment?

“My body is clothed with worms and a crust of dust;
My skin is hardened [and broken and loathsome], and [breaks out and] runs.

The eye of him that has seen me shall see me no more: your eyes are upon me, and I am not.

And thou hast affrighted me with dreams, And from visions thou terrifiest me,

Have I sinned, what do I unto thee, thou Observer of men? Why hast thou set me as an object of assault for thee, so that I am become a burden to myself?

Thou dost not take away my transgression, And cause to pass away mine iniquity, Because now, for dust I lie down: And Thou hast sought me -- and I am not!

“If your children have sinned against Him,
Then He has handed them over to the power of their transgression and punished them.

Put the question now to the past generations, and give attention to what has been searched out by their fathers:

“Wise in heart and mighty in strength,
Who has defied Him without harm?

It is all the same to me; so I say, He puts an end to the sinner and to him who has done no wrong together.

The land is given into the power of the evil-doer; the faces of its judges are covered; if not by him, then who has done it?

Is it seemly in thee, that thou shouldst oppress? that thou shouldst despise the labour of thine own hand, when, upon the counsel of the lawless, thou hast shone?

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

Thine own hands, shaped me, and made me, all in unison round about, and yet thou hast confounded me.

Remember, I pray Thee, That as clay Thou hast made me, And unto dust Thou dost bring me back.

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

Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews;

Life and kindness Thou hast done with me. And Thy inspection hath preserved my spirit.

And these Thou hast laid up in Thy heart, I have known that this is with Thee.

If I sinned, then Thou hast observed me, And from mine iniquity dost not acquit me,

And why from the womb Hast Thou brought me forth? I expire, and the eye doth not see me.

Shall, thy pratings, cause men to hold their peace? When thou hast mocked, shall there be none to put thee to shame?

Since thou hast said, Right is my doctrine, and pure am I in his eyes.

And show you the secrets of wisdom!
For sound wisdom has two sides.
Know then that God forgets a part of your iniquity.

If thou -- thou hast prepared thy heart, And hast spread out unto Him thy hands,

if thou wouldst put away the wickedness which thou hast in hand, so that no ungodliness dwelt in thy house;

For then thou liftest up thy face from blemish, And thou hast been firm, and fearest not.

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

And thou hast trusted because their is hope, And searched -- in confidence thou liest down,

And thou hast rested, And none is causing trembling, And many have entreated thy face;

But I have a mind as well as you; I am equal to you: yes, who has not knowledge of such things as these?

It seems that I am to be as one who is a cause of laughing to his neighbour, one who makes his prayer to God and is answered! the upright man who has done no wrong is to be made sport of!

“Who among all these does not know
That the hand of the Lord has done this,

“But [only] with Him are [perfect] wisdom and might;
He [alone] has [true] counsel and understanding.

“He loosens the bond of kings
And binds their loins with a loincloth.

“Behold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and understood it.

Thou hast put my foot in the stocks: thou lookest narrowly unto all my paths, and markest the steps of my feet.

Though a man comes to nothing like a bit of dead wood, or like a robe which has become food for the worm.

Also -- on this Thou hast opened Thine eyes, And dost bring me into judgment with Thee.

If determined are his days, The number of his months are with Thee, His limit Thou hast made, And he passeth not over;

“[O God] turn your gaze from him so that he may rest,
Until he fulfills his day [on earth] like a hired man.

"O that you would hide me in Sheol, and conceal me till your anger has passed! O that you would set me a time and then remember me!

Thou dost call, and I -- I answer Thee; To the work of Thy hands Thou hast desire.

"For thou hast numbered all my goings, yet be not thou too extreme upon my sins.

Sealed up in a bag, is my transgression, and thou hast glued over mine iniquity.

Stones have waters worn away, Their outpourings wash away the dust of earth, And the hope of man Thou hast destroyed.

Thou dost overpower him utterly, and he departeth, Disfiguring his face, so, hast thou sent him away.

His sons come to honour, and he has no knowledge of it; they are made low, but he is not conscious of it.

Only his flesh still has pain, and his soul is sad.

As for shame, thou hast set it aside - else wouldest thou not make so many words before God.

For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou hast chosen the tongue of the crafty.

Hast thou listened in the secret council of +God? And hast thou absorbed wisdom for thyself?

What hast thou known, and we know not? Understandest thou -- and it is not with us?

Are God's encouragements inconsequential to you, even a word that has been spoken gently to you?

Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash,

For thou turnest against God thy spirit? And hast brought out words from thy mouth:

"The wicked person writhes in pain throughout his life, a number of years has been reserved for the ruthless.

He has no hope of coming safe out of the dark, and his fate will be the sword;

Because he has stretched out his hand against God
And conducts himself arrogantly against the Almighty.

“For he has covered his face with his fat
And made his thighs heavy with flesh.

“He has lived in desolate cities,
In houses no one would inhabit,
Which are destined to become ruins.

He does not get wealth for himself, and is unable to keep what he has got; the heads of his grain are not bent down to the earth.

Evil has made them with child, and they give birth to trouble; and the fruit of their body is shame for themselves.

Shall not thy vain words come yet to an end? Or, hast thou yet any more to say?

“If I speak, my pain is not lessened,
And if I hold back, what has left me?