And his sons have gone and made a banquet -- the house of each in his day -- and have sent and called to their three sisters to eat and to drink with them;

and it cometh to pass, when they have gone round the days of the banquet, that Job doth send and sanctify them, and hath risen early in the morning, and caused to ascend burnt-offerings -- the number of them all -- for Job said, 'Perhaps my sons have sinned, yet blessed God in their heart.' Thus doth Job all the days.

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

and Sheba doth fall, and take them, and the young men they have smitten by the mouth of the sword, and I am escaped -- only I alone -- to declare it to thee.'

While this one is speaking another also hath come and saith, 'Chaldeans made three heads, and rush on the camels, and take them, and the young men they have smitten by the mouth of the sword, and I am escaped -- only I alone -- to declare it to thee.'

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.

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 have lain down, and am quiet, I have slept -- then there is rest to me,

Or with princes -- they have gold, They are filling their houses with silver.

(Or as a hidden abortion I am not, As infants -- they have not seen light.)

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

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

Remember, I pray thee, Who, being innocent, hath perished? And where have the upright been cut off?

As I have seen -- ploughers of iniquity, And sowers of misery, reap it!

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

I -- I have seen the perverse taking root, And I mark his habitation straightway,

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

For now, than the sands of the sea it is heavier, Therefore my words have been rash.

And yet it is my comfort, (And I exult in pain -- He doth not spare,) That I have not hidden The sayings of the Holy One.

My brethren have deceived as a brook, As a stream of brooks they pass away.

By the time they are warm they have been cut off, By its being hot they have been Extinguished from their place.

They were ashamed that one hath trusted, They have come unto it and are confounded.

Surely now ye have become the same! Ye see a downfall, and are afraid.

Shew me, and I -- I keep silent, And what I have erred, let me understand.

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

So I have been caused to inherit months of vanity, And nights of misery they numbered to me.

If I lay down then I said, 'When do I rise!' And evening hath been measured, And I have been full of tossings till dawn.

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

I have sinned, what do I to Thee, O watcher of man? Why hast Thou set me for a mark to Thee, And I am for a burden to myself -- and what?

If thy sons have sinned before Him, And He doth send them away, By the hand of their transgression,

If one doth destroy him from his place, Then it hath feigned concerning 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.

God doth not turn back His anger, Under Him bowed have proud helpers.

My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,

They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darteth on food.

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

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.

Thy hands have taken pains about me, And they make me together round about, And Thou swallowest me up!

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

If I have done wickedly -- woe to me, And righteously -- I lift not up my head, Full of shame -- then see my affliction,

And thou sayest, 'Pure is my discourse, And clean I have been in Thine eyes.'

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

I also have a heart like you, I am not fallen more than you, And with whom is there not like these?

At peace are the tents of spoilers, And those provoking God have confidence, He into whose hand God hath brought.

According to your knowledge I have known -- also I. I am not fallen more than you.

Lo, I pray you, I have set in order the cause, I have known that I am righteous.

How many iniquities and sins have I? My transgression and my sin let me know.

Waters have gone away from a sea, And a river becometh waste and dry.

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

Lo, in His holy ones He putteth no credence, And the heavens have not been pure in His eyes.

I shew thee -- hearken to me -- And this I have seen and declare:

Which the wise declare -- And have not hid -- from their fathers.

'All days of the wicked he is paining himself, And few years have been laid up for the terrible one.

And he inhabiteth cities cut off, houses not dwelt in, That have been ready to become heaps.

I have heard many such things, Miserable comforters are ye all.

They have gaped on me with their mouth, In reproach they have smitten my cheeks, Together against me they set themselves.

At ease I have been, and he breaketh me, And he hath laid hold on my neck, And he breaketh me in pieces, And he raiseth me to him for a mark.

Sackcloth I have sewed on my skin, And have rolled in the dust my horn.

My days have passed by, My devices have been broken off, The possessions of my heart!

If I wait -- Sheol is my house, In darkness I have spread out my couch.

To corruption I have called: -- 'Thou art my father.' 'My mother' and 'my sister' -- to the worm.

Wherefore have we been reckoned as cattle? We have been defiled in your eyes!

Round about terrified him have terrors, And they have scattered him -- at his feet.

At this day westerns have been astonished And easterns have taken fright.

And also -- truly, I have erred, With me doth my error remain.

My brethren from me He hath put far off, And mine acquaintances surely Have been estranged from me.

Ceased have my neighbours And my familiar friends have forgotten me,

Sojourners of my house and my maids, For a stranger reckon me: An alien I have been in their eyes.

To my servant I have called, And he doth not answer, With my mouth I make supplication to him.

Also sucklings have despised me, I rise, and they speak against me.

Abominate me do all the men of my counsel, And those I have loved, Have been turned against me.

That -- I have known my Redeemer, The Living and the Last, For the dust he doth rise.

Whom I -- I see on my side, And mine eyes have beheld, and not a stranger, Consumed have been my reins in my bosom.

His bones have been full of his youth, And with him on the dust it lieth down.

Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.

Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.

And they say to God, 'Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Thy ways We have not desired.

His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow his bones doth moisten.

And this one dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.

Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye do wrongfully.

Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?

Sweet to him have been the clods of the valley, And after him every man he draweth, And before him there is no numbering.

The path of the age dost thou observe, That men of iniquity have trodden?

Who have been cut down unexpectedly, A flood is poured out on their foundation.

For they have made low, And thou sayest, 'Lift up.' And the bowed down of eyes he saveth.

On His step hath my foot laid hold, His way I have kept, and turn not aside,

The command of His lips, and I depart not. Above my allotted portion I have laid up The sayings of His mouth.

For I have not been cut off before darkness, And before me He covered thick darkness.

Wherefore from the Mighty One Times have not been hidden, And those knowing Him have not seen His days.

The borders they reach, A drove they have taken violently away, Yea, they do evil.

They turn aside the needy from the way, Together have hid the poor of the earth.

Lo, wild asses in a wilderness, They have gone out about their work, Seeking early for prey, A mixture for himself -- food for young ones.

From the inundation of hills they are wet, And without a refuge -- have embraced a rock.

Naked, they have gone without clothing, And hungry -- have taken away a sheaf.

Between their walls they make oil, Wine-presses they have trodden, and thirst.

They have been among rebellious ones of light, They have not discerned His ways, Nor abode in His paths.