His sons used to take turns having banquets at their homes. They would send an invitation to their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

And it was so, when the days of their feasting were finished, 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 cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

So Yahweh said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, "From roaming on the earth and from walking about in it."

And the LORD said unto Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one that fears God, and turns away from evil?

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

And a messenger hath come in unto Job and saith, 'The oxen have been plowing, and the she-asses feeding by their sides,

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

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."

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

and behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young men, and they are dead. I alone have escaped to tell you."

So Yahweh {asked} Satan, "From where have you come?" And Satan answered Yahweh and said, "From roaming on the earth and from walking about in it."

And the LORD said unto Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one that fears God, and turns away from evil? and still he holds fast his integrity, although you moved me against him, to destroy him without cause.

But he said to her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. We have also received good from God, and should we not receive evil? In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

and they lift up their eyes from afar and have not discerned him, and they lift up their voice and weep, and rend each his robe, and sprinkle dust on their heads -- heavenward.

And they sit with him on the earth seven days and seven nights, and there is none speaking unto him a word when they have seen that the pain hath been very great.

That night--let the thick dark take it; let it not have joy among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.

As for that night, let it have no fruit; let no voice of joy be sounded in it;

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 shut not up the womb that bare me. For then should these sorrows have been hid from mine eyes.

Why from the womb do I not die? From the belly I have come forth and gasp!

Wherefore have knees been before me? And what are breasts, that I suck?

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

or with high officials {who have gold}, who fill up their houses [with] silver.

Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants that have not seen the light.

There the wicked have ceased troubling, And there rest do the wearied in power.

There, are those let out free which have been in prison, so that they hear no more the voice of the oppressor.

"Wherefore is the light given to him that is in misery? And life unto them that have heavy hearts?

Who long for death, and it is not, And have digged for it, beyond hid treasures:

In place of my food I have grief, and cries of sorrow come from me like water.

For I have a fear and it comes on me, and my heart is greatly troubled.

I am not at ease, and I am not at peace, and I do not have rest, thus turmoil has come."

Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands.

Your words have upheld him that was falling, and you have strengthened the feeble knees.

But now that this has happened to you,
you have become exhausted.
It strikes you, and you are dismayed.

Consider: who has perished when he was innocent?
Where have the honest been destroyed?

Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

The roaring of a lion, And the voice of a fierce lion, And teeth of young lions have been broken.

How much more the dwellers in houses of clay, which, in the dust, have their foundation, which are crushed sooner than a moth:

I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.

Now his children have no safe place, and they are crushed before the judges, for no one takes up their cause.

To set the low on a high place, And the mourners have been high in safety.

But he keeps safe from their sword those who have no father, and the poor from the power of the strong.

So the poor have hope,
and injustice shuts its mouth.

He will keep you safe from the evil tongue; and you will have no fear of wasting when it comes.

You will make sport of destruction and need, and will have no fear of the beasts of the earth.

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

You'll know that you'll have many children; and that your offspring will be like the grass of the earth.

Lo this, we have searched it out, so it is; hear it, and know you it for your good.

for then it would be heavier than the sand of the seas; therefore my words have been rash,

Surely the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me;
my spirit drinks their poison.
God’s terrors are arrayed against me.

I have refused to touch such things; they are like loathsome food to me.

Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

Then should I still have comfort; yea, I would exult 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 mine end, that I should have patience?

Isn't it that I have no help in me, That wisdom is driven quite from me?

The despairing, from his friend, should have lovingkindness, or, the reverence of the Almighty, he may forsake.

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

By the time they begin to thaw, they are dried up, as soon as it is warm, they have vanished out of their place.

Consider the paths of Tema, and the ways of Sheba, wherein they have put their trust.

They are ashamed that they had trusted, They have come up to one of them, and are confounded.

"For now you have become {such}; you see terrors, and you fear.

Is it because I have said, 'Give to me,' or, 'Offer a bribe for me from your wealth'?

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

How powerful have been upright sayings, And what doth reproof from you reprove?

Let your minds be changed, and do not have an evil opinion of me; yes, be changed, for my righteousness is still in me.

Have I said anything that's unjust? I can discern evil, can't I?"

"Does not {a human being have hard service} on earth? And [are not] his days like the days of a laborer?

For like as a bond servant desireth the shadow, and as a hireling would fain have an end of his work:

So I have been made to inherit months of futility,
and troubled nights have been assigned to me.

When I lie down, I say, 'When shall I rise?' But [the] night is long, and I have my fill of tossing until dawn.

He will not come back to his house, and his place will have no more knowledge of him.

When I think, 'My bed shall comfort me; I shall have some refreshing by talking to myself upon my couch,'

I have wasted away -- not to the age do I live. Cease from me, for my days are vanity.

What is man, that you have made him great, and that your attention is fixed on him,

How long will it be before your eyes are turned away from me, so that I may have a minute's breathing-space?

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

Why haven't you pardoned my transgression and taken away my iniquity? Now I'm about to lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I won't be around!"

If your children have sinned against him, and he has cast them away for their transgression;

Insomuch, that wherein soever thou hadst little afore, thou shouldest now have great abundance.

"Indeed, please inquire of former generations, and consider {what their ancestors have found},

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

If he is destroyed from his place, then it will deny him, saying, I have not seen you.

Truly I have known that it is so, And what -- is man righteous with God?

Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who hath overturned them in His anger.

See, he goes past me and I see him not: he goes on before, but I have no knowledge of him.

As for GOD, if he withdraw not his anger, under him, will have submitted themselves - the proud helpers.

“For though I were right, I could not answer;
I would have to implore the mercy of my judge.

"Were I to be summoned, and he were to answer me, I wouldn't even believe that he was listening to what I have to say.

Though I was in the right, he would say that I was in the wrong; I have done no evil; but he says that I am a sinner.

I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.

One thing, there is, for which cause, I have said it, The blameless and the lawless, he bringeth to an end.

If death comes suddenly through disease, he makes sport of the fate of those who have done no wrong.

My days, therefore, are swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have seen no good.

They have passed away as the swift ships, as the eagle that swoops on the prey.

I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that Thou dost not acquit me.

I have been condemned; why then should I labor in vain?

If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified with soap my hands,

Then in corruption Thou dost dip me, And my garments have abominated me.

There is no one to give a decision between us, who might have control over us.

I will say to God, Do not put me down as a sinner; make clear to me what you have against me.