And so it was, when the days of the banquet came round, that Job sent and hallowed them, and rising early in the morning offered ascending-sacrifices according to the number of them all; for Job said, Peradventure my sons have sinned, and have cursed God in their hearts. Thus and thus, was Job wont to do all the days.

And Yahweh said unto the accuser, Whence comest thou? And the accuser answered Yahweh, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and wandering about therein.

And the accuser answered Yahweh, and said, Is it, for nought, that Job revereth God?

Yet was this one speaking, when, another, came in and said, - A fire of God, fell out of the heavens, and burned up the sheep and the young men, and consumed them; and escaped am, only I alone, to tell thee.

when lo! a great wind, came from over the desert, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they died, - and escaped am, only I alone, to tell thee.

And Yahweh said unto the accuser, Whence comest thou? And the accuser answered Yahweh, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from wandering about therein.

Then the accuser answered Yahweh, and said, Skin for skin, and so, all that a man hath, will he give for his life.

Now when the three friends of Job heard of all this misfortune which had befallen him, - they came, every man from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, - for they had by appointment met together to come to shew sympathy with him, and to comfort him.

And they sat with him upon the ground, seven days and seven nights, - and none was speaking unto him a word, for they saw that, exceeding great, was the stinging pain.

Darkened be the stars of its twilight, - Let it wait for light, and there be none, neither let it see the eyelashes of the dawn:

For what reason, were there prepared for me - knees? and why - breasts, that I might suck?

Small and great, there, they are, and, the slave, is free from his master.

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

For, in the face of my food, my sighing, cometh in, and, poured out like the water, are my groans:

For, a dread, I dreaded, and it hath come upon me, and, that from which I shrank, hath overtaken me.

So far as I have seen, They who plow for iniquity and sow misery, reap the same:

The strong lion perishing for lack of prey, Even the whelps of the lioness, are scattered.

For, to the foolish man, death is caused by vexation, and, the simple one, is slain by jealousy.

His children are far removed from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, and there is none to deliver:

Whose harvest, the hungry, eateth up, and, even out of thorn hedges, he taketh it, and the snare gapeth for their substance.

For sorrow, cometh not forth out of the dust, - nor, out of the ground, sprouteth trouble.

For, he, woundeth that he may bind up, He smiteth through, that, his own hands, may heal.

For, with the stones of the field, shall be thy covenant, and, the wild beast of the field, hath been made thy friend;

Lo! as for this, we have searched it out - so, it is, Hear it, and know, thou, for thyself.

For, now, beyond the sand of the seas, would it be heavy, On this account, my words, have wandered.

For, the arrows of the Almighty, are in me, The heat whereof, my spirit is drinking up, The, terrors of GOD, array themselves against me.

That it would please GOD to crush me, That he would set free his hand, and cut me off!

The caravans of Tema looked about, the travelling companies of Sheba, hoped for them:

For, now, ye have come to him, ye see something fearful, and fear.

As, a bondman, panteth for the shadow, and as, a hireling, longeth for his wage,

I am wasted away, Not, to times age-abiding, can I live, Let me alone, for, a breath, are my days.

I have sinned, What can I do for thee, thou watcher of men? Wherefore hast thou set me as thine object of attack, or have I become, unto thee, a burden?

And why wilt thou not remove my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? For, now, in the dust, should I lie down, and thou shouldst seek me diligently, and I should not be.

For inquire, I pray thee, of a former generation, and prepare thyself for the research of their fathers; -

For, of yesterday, are, we, and cannot know, for, a shadow, are our days upon earth:

Who spreadeth out fire heavens, by himself alone! and marcheth along, on the heights of the sea;

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

For, with a tempest, would he fall upon me, and would multiply my wounds without need;

He would not suffer me to recover my breath, for he would surfeit me with bitter things.

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

For he is not a man like myself, whom I might answer, nor could we come together into judgment:

That thou shouldst seek for mine iniquity, and, for my sin, shouldst make search:

If I have been lawless, alas for me! Or, if I am righteous, I will not lift up my head, Surfeited with shame, look thou then on my humiliation.

Are not my days, few? - then forbear, and set me aside, that I may brighten up for a little;

That he would declare to thee the secrets of wisdom, for they are double to that which actually is, - -Know then that GOD could bring into forgetfulness for thee, a portion of thine iniquity.

For, he, knoweth men of falsity, and seeth iniquity, and him that doth not diligently consider.

If, iniquity, be in thy hand, Put it far away, and let there not dwell in thy tents perversity,

Surely, then, shalt thou lift up thy face free from blemish, and shalt be established, and not fear.

For, now, shalt thou forget, sorrow, Like waters passed away, shalt thou remember it.

For ruin, there is contempt, in the thought of the man at ease, - ready, for such as are of faltering foot!

Doth not, the ear, try, words? even as, the palate, tasteth for itself, food?

For, in truth, ye, do besmear with falsehood, Worthless physicians, all of you!

Oh that ye would, altogether held your peace, and it should serve you for wisdom!

Is it, for God, ye would speak perversely? And, for him, would ye speak deceit:

Even, for him, would ye be partial? Or, for GOD, would ye so plead?

Lo! he may slay me, yet , for him, will I wait, - Nevertheless, my ways - unto his face, will I show to be right:

Even he, will be on my side - unto salvation, For, not before his face, shall any impious person come.

Who is it that shall contend with me? For, now, if I should hold my peace, why! I should breathe my last!

Thy hand - from off me, take thou far away, and, thy terror, let it not startle me!

For thou writest, against me, bitter things, and dost make me inherit the iniquities of my youth;

If determined am his days, the number of his months, is with thee, Fixed times for him, thou hast appointed and he cannot go beyond.

Though there is - for a tree - hope, - if it should be cut down, that, again, it will grow, and, the tender branch thereof, will not cease;

Oh that, in hades, thou wouldst hide me! that thou wouldst keep me secret, until the turn of thine anger, that thou wouldst set for me a fixed time, and remember me:

Thou shouldst call, and, I, would answer thee, - For the work of thine own hand, thou shouldst long.

For, now, my steps, thou countest, Thou wilt not pass over my sin:

But, his flesh, for himself, is in pain, and, his soul, for himself, doth mourn.

For thine own mouth would teach thine iniquity, and thou wouldst choose the tongue of the crafty.

In the secret council of GOD, hast thou been wont to hearken? Or canst thou attain for thyself unto wisdom?

Too small for thee, are the consolations of GOD? or a word spoken gently with thee?

For thy spirit, replieth against GOD, and thou bringest forth - out of thy mouth - words!

A wanderer, he, for bread, saying Where is it ? He knoweth that, prepared by his own hand, is the day of darkness;

Distress and anguish shall startle him, It shall overpower him, like a king ready for the onset:

For he had covered his face with his fatness, and had gathered a superabundance on his loins;

Let no one trust in him that - by vanity - is deceived, for, vanity, shall be his recompense;

For, the family of the impious, is unfruitful, and, a fire, hath devoured the tents of bribery;

His anger, hath torn and persecuted me, He hath gnashed upon me with his teeth, Mine adversary, hath sharpened his eyes for me.

At ease, was I when he shattered me, Yea he seized me by my neck, and dashed me in pieces, then set me up for himself as a mark:

O earth! do not cover my blood, and let there be no place for mine outcry.

And, he that voucheth for me is on high. My friends are, they who scorn me, Unto GOD, hath mine eye shed tears: -

That one might plead, for a man, with GOD, - Even a son of man, for his friend!

Appoint it, I pray thee - be thou surety for me with thyself, Who is there that, on my side, can pledge himself?

For, their heart, hast thou kept back from understanding, On this account, thou wilt not exalt them.

He that, for a share, denounceth friends, even, the eyes of his children, shall be dim.

But indeed, as for them all, will ye bethink yourselves and enter into it, I pray you? Or shall I not find, among you, one who is wise?

Night for day, they appoint, Light, is near, by reason of darkness!

If I wait for hades as my house, in darkness, have spread out my couch;

Where then would be my hope? And, as for my blessedness, who should see it!

One tearing in pieces his own soul in his anger, - For thy sake, shall the earth be forsaken? or the rock be moved out of its place?

Even the light of the lawless, shall go out, - Neither shall shine the flame of his fire;

For he is thrust into a net by his own feet, and, upon a trap, he marcheth;

Concealed in the ground is a cord for him, - and a snare for him, on the path.

My Brethren - from beside me, hath he moved far away, and, mine acquaintance, are wholly estranged from me;

Pity me! pity me! ye, my friends, for, the hand of GOD, hath stricken me!

That, with a stylus of iron and with lead, for all time - in the rock, they could be graven!

That, the joy-shout of the lawless, is short, and, the rejoicing of the impious, for a moment?

For he hath oppressed - hath forsaken the poor, A house, hath he seized, which he cannot rebuild.

Nothing escaped his devouring greed, - For this cause, shall his prosperity not continue:

It shall be that, to fill his belly, he will thrust at him the glow of his anger, and rain it upon him for his punishment.

Every misfortune, is laid up for his treasures, - There shall consume, a fire, not blown up, - it shall destroy what remaineth in his tent:

They send forth - like a flock - their young ones, and, their children, skip about for joy;