{Then when} the days of the feast had run their course, {Job would send}, and he would sanctify them. Thus he would arise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings [according to] the number of all of them, because Job thought, "Perhaps my children have sinned and {cursed} God in their heart." This is what Job used to do {all the time}.

So Yahweh said to Satan, "Have you {considered} my servant Job? Indeed, there is no one like him on the earth--a blameless man and upright and God-fearing and turning away from evil."

Then he said, "Naked I came out from my mother's womb, and naked I will return there. Yahweh gives, and Yahweh takes. Let Yahweh's name be blessed."

So Yahweh {asked} Satan, "Have you {considered} my servant Job? Indeed, there is no one like him on the earth--a blameless man and upright and God-fearing and turning away from evil. And still he persists in his blamelessness {even though} you incited me against him to destroy him for nothing."

Let that day become darkness; may God not seek it from above, nor may daylight shine on it.

because it did not shut the doors of my [mother's] womb, nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.

Why did [the] knees receive me and the breasts, that I could suck?

For my sighing comes {before} my bread, and my groanings gush forth like water

because the dread that I {feel} has come upon me, and what I feared befalls me.

"And a word came stealing to me, and my ear received [the] whisper from it.

dread met me, and trembling, and it made many of my bones shake.

And a spirit glided before my face; the hair of my flesh bristled.

It stood still, but I could not recognize its appearance; a form [was] {before} my eyes; [there was] a hush, and I heard a voice:

"But I myself will seek God, and to God I would commit my cause.

"If only my vexation could be well weighed, and my calamity could be lifted up together [with it] in [the] balances,

for then it would be heavier than the sand of the seas; therefore my words have been rash,

for the arrows of Shaddai [are] in me; my spirit drinks their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.

{I refused} to touch [them]; they [are] like {food that will make me ill}.

"{O that} my request may come, and [that] God may grant my hope,

that God would decide that he would crush me, [that] he would let loose his hand and {kill me}.

But it will still be my consolation, and I would recoil in {unrelenting} pain, for I have not denied [the] words of [the] Holy One.

What [is] my strength, that I should wait? And what [is] my end, that {I should hold out}?

Or [is] my strength [like] the strength of stones? Or [is] my flesh bronze?

{Indeed}, my help is not in me, and [any] success is driven from me.

My companions are treacherous like a torrent-bed; like a streambed of wadis they flow away,

Is it because I have said, 'Give to me,' or, 'Offer a bribe for me from your wealth'?

or, 'Save me from the foe's hand,' or, 'Ransom me from the tyrants' hand'?

Teach me, and I myself will be silent; and make me understand how I have gone astray.

Do you intend to reprove [my] words and [consider the] words of a desperate [man] as wind?

"{Therefore} be prepared, turn to me, and I surely will not lie to your face.

Please turn, let no injustice happen; indeed, turn, {my righteousness is still intact}.

Is there injustice on my tongue? Or can my palate not discern calamity?

So {I had to inherit} months of worthlessness, and nights of misery are apportioned to me.

When I lie down, I say, 'When shall I rise?' But [the] night is long, and I have my fill of tossing until dawn.

My body is clothed [with] maggots and clods of dust; my skin hardens, then it gives way [again].

"My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and they come to an end {without hope}.

Remember that my life [is] a breath; my eye will not return to see good.

The eye of [the one] seeing me will not see me; your eyes [are] upon me, but {I will be gone}.

"Even I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in my spirit's anguish; I will complain in my inner self's bitterness.

Am I [the] sea, or a sea monster, that you set a guard over me?

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

then you terrify me with dreams, and with visions you terrify me.

So my inner self will choose strangling-- death more than my {existence}.

I loathe [my life]; I would not live forever; depart from me, for my days [are] a breath.

{How long} will you not turn away from me? [Or] not leave me alone until I swallow my spit?

[If] I have sinned, what have I done to you, watcher of humanity? Why have you made me as a target for yourself, so that I have become a burden to myself?

And why do you not pardon my transgression and take away my guilt? For now I shall lie in the dust, and you will seek me, but {I will be no more}."

"{If} he passes by me, {I would not see him}; and [if] he should move on, {I would not recognize him}.

{How much less} can I myself answer him? [How] can I choose my words with him,

whom I cannot answer, even though I am righteous? From my judge I must implore grace.

If I summon [him], and he should answer me, I do not believe that he will listen to my voice--

who crushes me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause.

He will not allow me to {catch} my breath; rather, he will fill me with bitterness.

If {it is a matter of} strength, look, [he is] mighty. But if {it is a matter of} justice, who can summon me?

Even though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me; [even though] I [am] blameless, yet it would pronounce me guilty.

"I [am] blameless; I do not care about myself; I loathe my life.

"And my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away; they do not see good.

Though {I say}, 'I will forget my complaint; I will change my expression, and I will rejoice,'

I become afraid of all my sufferings; I know that you do not consider me innocent.

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

then you plunge me into the [slime] pit, and my clothes abhor me.

"For [he is] not a mortal like me [that] I can answer him, [that] {we can come to trial together}.

May he remove his rod from me, and let his dread not terrify me;

"My inner self loathes my life; {I want to give vent to my complaint}; I want to speak out of [the] bitterness of my inner self.

I will say to God, 'You should not condemn me; let me know why you contend [against] me.

that you seek out my iniquity, and you search for my sin

Your hands fashioned me and made me {altogether}, then you destroyed me.

Please remember that you made me like clay, but you turn me into dust [again]?

Did you not pour me out like milk and {curdle me} like cheese?

You clothed me [with] skin and flesh, and you knit me together with bones and sinews.

You have granted me life and loyal love, and your care has preserved my spirit.

If I had sinned, then you would be watching me, and you would not acquit me of my guilt.

If I am guilty, woe to me! But if I am righteous, I dare not lift my head; [I am] filled [with] shame, and [just] look [at] my misery!

And [if my head] grows bold, you would hunt me as the lion in its prime; {and you repeat your exploits against me}.

You renew your witnesses against me, and you increase your vexation against me; {relief forces} [are] against me.

So why did you bring me forth from the womb? I should have passed away, {and no eye should have seen me}.

[Are] not my days few? Let him leave [me] alone; let him turn from me, and let me rejoice a little.

For you say, 'My teaching [is] pure, and I am clean in your sight.'

I am a laughingstock to my friends: '[He] calls on God, and he answers him.' A righteous, blameless man [is] a laughingstock.

"Look, my eye has seen everything; my ear has heard and has understood it.

Please hear my argument, and listen attentively [to the] pleadings of my lips.

"{Let me have silence}, and I myself will speak, and let come over me whatever [may].

Why should I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in my hand?

Look, [though] he kill me, I will hope in him; however, I will defend my ways {before him}.

Moreover, this [is] salvation to me, that [the] godless would not come {before him}.

"Listen carefully [to] my words, and [let] my exposition [be] in your ears.

Please look, I have prepared [my] case; I know that I myself will be vindicated.

Who [is] he who will contend with me? For {then} I would be silent, and I would pass away.

"Only you must not do [these] two [things] to me; then I will not hide from your face:

withdraw your hand from me, and let not your dread terrify me.

Then call, and I myself will answer; or let me speak, then reply to me.

"{How many} [are] my iniquities and sins? Make known to me my transgression and my sin.

Why do you hide your face and count me as your enemy?

"Indeed, you write bitter things against me, and you make me reap the iniquities of my childhood.

And you put my feet in the block, and you watch all my paths; you carve [a mark] on the soles of my feet.

Even on such a one you fix your eyes, and you bring me into judgment with you.

"{O that} you would conceal me in Sheol, [that] you would hide me {until your wrath is past}, [that] you would appoint a set time for me and remember me.

If a man dies, will he live [again]? All the days of my compulsory service I will wait, until the coming of my relief.

For then you would count my steps, [but] you would not keep watch over my sin.

My transgression would be sealed in a bag, and you would cover over my guilt.