And it was so, when the days of the feasting were gone about, that Job sent and hallowed them; and he rose up early in the morning, and offered up burnt-offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

and they of Sheba fell upon them and took them, and the servants have they smitten with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped, alone, to tell thee.

While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, The Chaldeans made three bands, and fell upon the camels and took them, and the servants have they smitten with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped, alone, to tell thee.

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.

Let the stars of its twilight be dark; let it wait for light, and have none, neither let it see the eyelids of the dawn:

For now should I have lain down and been quiet; I should have slept: then had I been at rest,

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

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

Even as I have seen, they that plough iniquity and sow mischief, reap the same.

Behold this, we have searched it out, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thyself.

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas; therefore my words are vehement.

Oh that I might have my request, and that +God would grant my desire!

Then should I yet have comfort; and in the pain which spareth not I would rejoice 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?

My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a stream, as the channel of streams which pass away,

Teach me, and I will hold my tongue; and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

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?

If thy children have sinned against him, he hath also given them over into the hand of their transgression.

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

Thy hands have bound me together and made me as one, round about; yet dost thou swallow me up!

I should be as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

And thou shalt have confidence, because there shall be hope; and having searched about thee, thou shalt take rest in safety.

I also have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; and who knoweth not such things as these?

Behold now, I have ordered the cause; I know that I shall be justified.

Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee; thou wouldest have a desire after the work of thy hands.

I will shew thee, listen to me; and what I have seen I will declare;

Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hidden;

I have heard many such things: grievous comforters are ye all.

Shall words of wind have an end? or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?

I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and rolled my horn in the dust.

His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name on the pasture-grounds.

These ten times have ye reproached me; ye are not ashamed to stupefy me.

And be it that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.

His troops have come together and cast up their way against me, and have encamped round about my tent.

My kinsfolk have failed, and my known friends have forgotten me.

Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, ye my friends; for the hand of +God hath touched me.

Like his own dung doth he perish for ever; they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

If he have fled from the iron weapon, the bow of brass shall strike him through.

Suffer me and I will speak; and after I have spoken, mock on!

For what pleasure should he have in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?

Have ye not asked the wayfarers? and do ye not regard their tokens:

Widows hast thou sent empty away, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

Dost thou mark the ancient path which wicked men have trodden?

Even to-day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.

My foot hath held to his steps; his way have I kept, and not turned aside.

Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have laid up the words of his mouth more than the purpose of my own heart.

They pass the night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold;

Drought and heat consume snow waters; so doth Sheol those that have sinned.

Behold, ye yourselves have all seen it; and why are ye thus altogether vain?

The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed over it.

Destruction and death say, We have heard its report with our ears.

But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.

And now my soul is poured out in me; days of affliction have taken hold upon me.

By their great force they have become my raiment; they bind me about as the collar of my coat.

He hath cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes.

My bowels well up, and rest not; days of affliction have confronted me.

For what would have been my portion of +God from above, and what the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot hath hasted to deceit,

If my step have turned out of the way, and my heart followed mine eyes, and if any blot cleaveth to my hands;

If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, so that I laid wait at my neighbour's door,

If I have despised the cause of my bondman or of my bondmaid, when they contended with me,

If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

Or have eaten my morsel alone, so that the fatherless ate not thereof,

(For from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided the widow from my mother's womb;)

If I have seen any perishing for want of clothing, or any needy without covering;

If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my lambs;

If I have lifted up my hand against an orphan, because I saw my help in the gate:

If I have made gold my hope, or said to the fine gold, My confidence!

And my heart have been secretly enticed, so that my mouth kissed my hand:

This also would be an iniquity for the judge, for I should have denied the God who is above.

(Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse;)

If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have tormented to death the souls of its owners:

That ye may not say, We have found out wisdom; God will make him yield, not man.

Behold now, I have opened my mouth, my tongue speaketh in my palate,

Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words: --

Then he will be gracious unto him, and say, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.

He will sing before men, and say, I have sinned, and perverted what was right, and it hath not been requited to me;

Hear my words, ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.

Because they have turned back from him, and would consider none of his ways;

What I see not, teach thou me; if I have done wrong, I will do so no more?

Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet words for +God.

Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions, because they have increased.

Even so would he have allured thee out of the jaws of distress into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and the supply of thy table would be full of fatness.

Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? and hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?

Which I have reserved for the time of distress, for the day of battle and war?

Once have I spoken, and I will not answer; yea twice, but I will proceed no further.

Who is he that obscureth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered what I did not understand; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.

And it came to pass after Jehovah had spoken these words to Job, that Jehovah said to Eliphaz the Temanite, Mine anger is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends; for ye have not spoken rightly of me, like my servant Job.

And now, take for yourselves seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt-offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, for ye have not spoken of me rightly, like my servant Job.