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.

When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

The Lord said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" And Satan answered the Lord, "From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it."

The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away 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.

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 attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.”

The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin 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 darkened;
Let it wait for light but have none,
And let it not see the breaking dawn;

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 I would have lain down and been quiet;
I would have slept then, I would 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 passions of the evil are over, and those whose strength has come to an end have rest.

Together prisoners have been at ease, They have not heard the voice of an exactor,

"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 have no peace, no quiet, and no rest; nothing but pain comes on me.

“Behold you have admonished many,
And you have strengthened weak hands.

“Your words have helped the tottering to stand,
And you have strengthened feeble knees.

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

Remember, I pray thee, who, being innocent, hath perished, or when, the upright, have been cut off.

“According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity
And those who sow trouble harvest it.

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,
And I cursed his abode immediately.

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.

Thus the poor have hope, and iniquity 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 pact 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.

“Behold this; we have investigated it, and so it is.
Hear it, and know for yourself.”

“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 my desire!

“But it is still my consolation,
And I rejoice in unsparing pain,
That I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should have patience?

I have no help in myself, and wisdom is completely gone from me.

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

“My brothers have acted deceitfully like a wadi,
Like the torrents of wadis which vanish,

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.

“Indeed, you have now become such,
You see a terror and are afraid.

“Have I said, ‘Give me something,’
Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth,’

“Teach me, and I will be silent;
And show me 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 humanity have hard service on earth? Are not their days also like the days of a hired man?

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

So, have I been made to inherit months of calamity, and, nights of weariness, have been appointed 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 say, In my bed I will have comfort, there I will get rest from my disease;

I have no desire for life, I would not be living for ever! Keep away from me, for my days are as a breath.

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?

“Have I sinned? What have I done to You,
O watcher of men?
Why have You set me as Your target,
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 thy children have sinned against him, he hath also given them over into the hand of their transgression.

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

“Inquire, please, of past generations,
And consider and apply yourself to the things searched out by their fathers.

(For we are but of yesterday, and have no knowledge, because our days on earth are gone like a shade:)

If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him: I have not seen thee!

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.

If I had sent for him to be present, and he had come, I would have no faith that he would give ear to my voice.

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 with boats of paper-reed, like a vulture which rusheth upon food.

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

If I be then a wicked doer, why have I laboured in vain?

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

Then you will have me pushed into the dust, so that I will seem disgusting to my very clothing.

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.