Then said the LORD unto Satan, "Hast thou not considered my servant Job, and how that he is an innocent and virtuous man: such one as feareth God, and escheweth evil, and that there is none like him in the land?"

Hast thou not preserved him, his house, and all his substance on every side? Hast thou not blessed the work of his hands? Is not his possession increased in the land?

But lay thine hand upon him a little, touch once all that he hath, and, I hold, he shall curse thee to thy face."

It happened also upon a time, that when the servants of God came and stood before the LORD, Satan also came among them, and stood before him.

Then said the LORD unto Satan, "Hast thou not considered my servant Job, how that he is an innocent and virtuous man such one as feareth God, and escheweth evil, and that there is none like him in the land? But thou movedst me against him, to punish him: yet is it in vain, for he continueth still in his godliness."

But lay thine hand upon him, touch him once upon the bone and flesh, and, I hold, he shall curse thee to thy face."

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

Then said his wife unto him, "Dost thou yet continue in thy perfectness? Curse God, and die."

Now when Job's friends heard of all the trouble that happened to him, there came three of them, every one from his own place: namely, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they were agreed together to come, to shew their compassion on him, and to comfort him.

So when they lift up their eyes afar off, they knew him not. Then they cried, and wept: then every one of them rent his clothes, and sprinkled dust upon their heads in the air.

They sat them down by him also upon the ground seven days and seven nights. Neither was there any of them that spake one word unto him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

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

That should be joy to the man whose way is hid, which God keepeth back from him.

Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite and said unto him,

As for the foolish man, displeasure killeth him; and anger slayeth the ignorant.

Then should I have some comfort: yea, I would desire him in my pain, that he should not spare, for I will not be against the words of the holy one.

nor turneth again into his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

"What is man, that thou dost magnify him? And that thou settest thy heart upon him?

Thou visitest him early, and every day: and suddenly doest thou try him.

When thy sons sinned against him, did not he punish them for their wickedness?

He leaneth him upon his house, but he shall not stand; he holdeth him fast by it, yet shall he not endure.

Lo, thus is it with him that rejoiceth in his own doings: and as for others, they grow out of the earth.

If he will argue with him, he shall not be able to answer him unto one among a thousand.

He is wise of heart, and mighty in strength. Who ever prospered that took part against him?

If he came by me, I might not look upon him: if he went his way, I should not perceive it.

If he be hasty to take anything away, who will make him restore it again? Who will say unto him, 'What doest thou?'

He is God, whose wrath no man may withstand: but the proudest of all must stoop under him.

How should I then answer him? Or what words should I find out against him?

Yea though I be righteous, yet will I not give him one word again, but meekly submit myself to my judge.

If I had called upon him, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had heard my voice!

Let him take his rod away from me; yea, let him make me no more afraid of him,

and then shall I answer him without any fear. For as long as I am in such fearfulness, I can make no answer: And why?

He is higher than heaven; what wilt thou do? Deeper than hell; how wilt thou then know him?

Though he turn all things upside down, close them in, or thrust them together, who dare check him therefore?

"If thou hadst now a right heart, and liftest up thine hands toward him;

With him is strength and wisdom: he knoweth both the deceiver and him that is deceived.

Will ye make an answer for God with lies, and maintain him with deceit?

Will ye accept the person of God, or will ye contend with him?

Shall that help you, when he calleth you to reckoning? Think ye to beguile him, as a man is beguiled?

Lo, though he slay me, yet will I put my trust in him. But if I shew and reprove mine own ways in his sight,

he shall make me whole: And why? There may no hypocrite come before him.

The days of man are short, the number of his months are known only to thee. Thou hast appointed him his bounds; he cannot go beyond them.

Go from him, that he may rest until his day come: which he looketh for, like as a hireling doth.

But as for man; when he is dead, perished and consumed away, what becometh of him?

Thou prevailest against him, so that he passeth away; thou changes his estate, and puttest him from thee.

While he liveth, his flesh must have travail: And while the soul is in him, he must be in sorrow."

Sorrow and carefulness make him afraid, and compass him round about, like as it where a king with his host ready to the battle.

He runneth proudly upon him, and with a stiff neck fighteth he against him:

I was some time in wealth, but suddenly hath he brought me to naught. He hath taken me by the neck, he hath rent me, and set me, as it were a mark for him to shoot at.

The light shall be dark in his dwelling, and his candle shall be put out with him.

His presumptuous goings shall be kept in, and his own counsel shall cast him down.

His foot shall be holden in the gilder, and the thirsty shall catch him.

The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a pitfall in the way.

"Fearfulness shall make him afraid on every side, that he shall not know where to get out.

Hunger shall be his substance, and misfortune shall hang upon him.

All his comfort and hope shall be rooted out of his dwelling, and shall bring him unto the king of fear.

Such are now the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God."

When I call upon my servant, he giveth me no answer: no though I pray him with my mouth.

Yea, I myself shall behold him - not with other, but with these same eyes, though my reins are consumed within me.

yet he perisheth at the last, like dung. Insomuch that they which have seen him, say, 'Where is he?'

So that the eye which saw him before, getteth now no sight of him, and his place knoweth him no more.

From his youth his bones are full of vice; but now shall it lie down with him in the earth.

He shall suck the serpent's gall, and the adder's tongue shall slay him:

"For though the wicked have never so much to fill his belly, yet God shall send his wrath upon him, and cause his indignation to rain over him:

The arrow shall be taken forth, and go out at his back; and a glistering sword through the gall of him. Fear shall come upon him.

There shall no darkness be able to hide him. An unkindled fire shall consume him; and look, what remaineth in his house, it shall be destroyed.

The heaven shall declare his wickedness, and the earth shall take part against him.

What manner of fellow is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, to submit ourselves unto him?'

Inasmuch then as God hath the highest power of all, who can teach him any knowledge?

Who dare reprove him for his ways to his face? Who rewardeth him for the ungraciousness that he doth?

Then shall he be fain to be buried among the stones by the brookside. All men must follow him, and there are innumerable gone before him.

Is it any advantage to the Almighty that thou art righteous? Or what doth it profit him, that thy ways are perfect?

Tush, the clouds cover him that he may not see, for he dwelleth in heaven.'

Then shalt thou make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt keep thy promises.

For who so humbleth himself, him shall he set up: and who so looketh meekly, shall be healed.

O that I might see him and find him: O that I might come before his seat,

to plead my cause before him, and to fill my mouth with arguments:

He that is just shall enter disputation with him, and my judge shall deliver me forever.

"For though I go before, I find him not; If I come behind, I can get no knowledge of him;

If I go on the left side to ponder his works, I can not attain unto them. Again, if I go on the rightside, he hideth himself, that I cannot see him.

"It is he, himself, alone. Who will turn him back? He doth as him listeth, and bringeth to pass what he will.

This is the cause, that I shrink at his presence, so that when I consider him I am afraid of him.

Considering then that there is no time hid from the Almighty, how happeneth it, that they which know him, will not regard his days?

insomuch that they let him go naked without clothing, and take way the sheaf of the hungry.

"Power and fear is with him above, that maketh peace, sitting in his highness,

Behold, the Moon shineth nothing in comparison to him, and the stars are unclean in his sight.

"O how helpest thou the weak? What comfort givest thou unto him that hath no strength?

Where is the counsel that thou shouldest give him, which hath no wisdom? Wilt thou so show thine excellent righteousness?

yea, and all they which dwell beneath in the hell are not hid from him, and the very destruction itself cannot be kept out of his sight.

What hope hath the hypocrite, though he have great good, and though God give him riches after his heart's desire?

Doth God hear him the sooner, when he crieth unto him in his necessity?

Look, whom he leaveth behind him, they shall die and be buried, and no man shall have pity of his widows.

he may well prepare it: but the godly shall put it upon him, and the innocent shall deal out the money.

When the rich man dieth, he carrieth nothing with him: he is gone in the twinkling of an eye.

Destruction taketh hold upon him as a water flood, and the tempest stealeth him away in the night season.

A vehement wind carrieth him hence, and departeth: a storm plucketh him out of his place.

It rusheth in upon him, and spareth him not, he may not escape from the power thereof.

Then clap men their hands at him, yea and jest of him, when they look upon his place.

As for the ungodly and he that joineth himself to the company of wicked doers: shall not destruction and misery come upon him?

But seeing that God will sit in judgment, what shall I do? And for so much as he will needs visit me, what answer shall I give him?