Whenever a round of banqueting was over, Job would send for his children and purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them. For Job thought: Perhaps my children have sinned, having cursed God in their hearts. This was Job’s regular practice.

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? No one else on earth is like him, a man of perfect integrity, who fears God and turns away from evil.”

saying:

Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will leave this life.
The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away.
Praise the name of Yahweh.

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? No one else on earth is like him, a man of perfect integrity, who fears God and turns away from evil. He still retains his integrity, even though you incited Me against him, to destroy him without just cause.”

May the day I was born perish,
and the night when they said,
“A boy is conceived.”

If only that day had turned to darkness!
May God above not care about it,
or light shine on it.

May darkness and gloom reclaim it,
and a cloud settle over it.
May an eclipse of the sun terrify it.

If only darkness had taken that night away!
May it not appear among the days of the year
or be listed in the calendar.

Yes, may that night be barren;
may no joyful shout be heard in it.

May its morning stars grow dark.
May it wait for daylight but have none;
may it not see the breaking of dawn.

For that night did not shut
the doors of my mother’s womb,
and hide sorrow from my eyes.

Why did the knees receive me,
and why were there breasts for me to nurse?

I sigh when food is put before me,
and my groans pour out like water.

For the thing I feared has overtaken me,
and what I dreaded has happened to me.

In my experience, those who plow injustice
and those who sow trouble reap the same.

The lion may roar and the fierce lion growl,
but the fangs of young lions are broken.

A word was brought to me in secret;
my ears caught a whisper of it.

fear and trembling came over me
and made all my bones shake.

A wind passed by me,
and I shuddered with fear.

A figure stood there,
but I could not recognize its appearance;
a form loomed before my eyes.
I heard a quiet voice:

However, if I were you, I would appeal to God
and would present my case to Him.

If only my grief could be weighed
and my devastation placed with it in the scales.

For then it would outweigh the sand of the seas!
That is why my words are rash.

Surely the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me;
my spirit drinks their poison.
God’s terrors are arrayed against me.

If only my request would be granted
and God would provide what I hope for:

that He would decide to crush me,
to unleash His power and cut me off!

It would still bring me comfort,
and I would leap for joy in unrelenting pain
that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

What strength do I have that I should continue to hope?
What is my future, that I should be patient?

Is my strength that of stone,
or my flesh made of bronze?

Since I cannot help myself,
the hope for success has been banished from me.

My brothers are as treacherous as a wadi,
as seasonal streams that overflow

So this is what you have now become to me.
When you see something dreadful, you are afraid.

Have I ever said: “Give me something”
or “Pay a bribe for me from your wealth”

or “Deliver me from the enemy’s power”
or “Redeem me from the grasp of the ruthless”?

Teach me, and I will be silent.
Help me understand what I did wrong.

Do you think that you can disprove my words
or that a despairing man’s words are mere wind?

But now, please look at me;
would I lie to your face?

Reconsider; don’t be unjust.
Reconsider; my righteousness is still the issue.

So I have been made to inherit months of futility,
and troubled nights have been assigned to me.

My flesh is clothed with maggots and encrusted with dirt.
My skin forms scabs and then oozes.

My days pass more swiftly than a weaver’s shuttle;
they come to an end without hope.

Remember that my life is but a breath.
My eye will never again see anything good.

The eye of anyone who looks on me
will no longer see me.
Your eyes will look for me, but I will be gone.

Therefore I will not restrain my mouth.
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

Am I the sea or a sea monster,
that You keep me under guard?

When I say: My bed will comfort me,
and my couch will ease my complaint,

then You frighten me with dreams,
and terrify me with visions,

I give up! I will not live forever.
Leave me alone, for my days are a breath.

Will You ever look away from me,
or leave me alone long enough to swallow?

If I have sinned, what have I done to You,
Watcher of mankind?
Why have You made me Your target,
so that I have become a burden to You?

Why not forgive my sin
and pardon my transgression?
For soon I will lie down in the grave.
You will eagerly seek me, but I will be gone.

If He passes by me, I wouldn’t see Him;
if He goes right by, I wouldn’t recognize Him.

How then can I answer Him
or choose my arguments against Him?

Even if I were in the right, I could not answer.
I could only beg my Judge for mercy.

If I summoned Him and He answered me,
I do not believe He would pay attention to what I said.

He batters me with a whirlwind
and multiplies my wounds without cause.

He doesn’t let me catch my breath
but soaks me with bitter experiences.

Even if I were in the right, my own mouth would condemn me;
if I were blameless, my mouth would declare me guilty.

Though I am blameless,
I no longer care about myself;
I renounce my life.

My days fly by faster than a runner;
they flee without seeing any good.

If I said, “I will forget my complaint,
change my expression, and smile,”

I would still live in terror of all my pains.
I know You will not acquit me.

If I wash myself with snow,
and cleanse my hands with lye,

then You dip me in a pit of mud,
and my own clothes despise me!

For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him,
that we can take each other to court.

Let Him take His rod away from me
so His terror will no longer frighten me.

Then I would speak and not fear Him.
But that is not the case; I am on my own.

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I am disgusted with my life.
I will express my complaint
and speak in the bitterness of my soul.

I will say to God:
“Do not declare me guilty!
Let me know why You prosecute me.

that You look for my wrongdoing
and search for my sin,

“Your hands shaped me and formed me.
Will You now turn and destroy me?

Please remember that You formed me like clay.
Will You now return me to dust?

Did You not pour me out like milk
and curdle me like cheese?

You clothed me with skin and flesh,
and wove me together with bones and tendons.

You gave me life and faithful love,
and Your care has guarded my life.

if I sin, You would notice,
and would not acquit me of my wrongdoing.

If I am wicked, woe to me!
And even if I am righteous, I cannot lift up my head.
I am filled with shame
and aware of my affliction.

If I am proud, You hunt me like a lion
and again display Your miraculous power against me.

You produce new witnesses against me
and multiply Your anger toward me.
Hardships assault me, wave after wave.

“Why did You bring me out of the womb?
I should have died and never been seen.

Are my days not few? Stop it!
Leave me alone, so that I can smile a little

You have said, “My teaching is sound,
and I am pure in Your sight.”

I am a laughingstock to my friends,
by calling on God, who answers me.
The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.

Look, my eyes have seen all this;
my ears have heard and understood it.

Yet I prefer to speak to the Almighty
and argue my case before God.

Hear now my argument,
and listen to my defense.

Be quiet, and I will speak.
Let whatever comes happen to me.

Why do I put myself at risk
and take my life in my own hands?

Even if He kills me, I will hope in Him.
I will still defend my ways before Him.

Yes, this will result in my deliverance,
for no godless person can appear before Him.

Pay close attention to my words;
let my declaration ring in your ears.

Now then, I have prepared my case;
I know that I am right.

Can anyone indict me?
If so, I will be silent and die.

Only grant these two things to me, God,
so that I will not have to hide from Your presence:

remove Your hand from me,
and do not let Your terror frighten me.

Then call, and I will answer,
or I will speak, and You can respond to me.

How many iniquities and sins have I committed?
Reveal to me my transgression and sin.

Why do You hide Your face
and consider me Your enemy?

For You record bitter accusations against me
and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.

You put my feet in the stocks
and stand watch over all my paths,
setting a limit for the soles of my feet.