And when they had gone around the day of feasting, Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. So Job did always.

And Jehovah said to Satan, Have you set your heart against My servant Job, because there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil?

And he said, I came naked out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. Jehovah gave, and Jehovah has taken away. Blessed be the name of Jehovah.

And Jehovah said unto Satan, Have you set your heart on My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil? And still he is keeping hold of his integrity, although you moved Me against him to destroy him without cause.

For it did not shut up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hide sorrow from my eyes.

Why did the knees go before me; or why the breasts, that I should suck?

For my sighing comes before I eat, and my groanings are poured out like the waters.

For the thing which I greatly feared has come upon me, and that which I was afraid of has come to me.

And a word was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a little of it.

fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.

And a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up.

It stood still, but I could not tell the form of it. An image was before my eyes; silence; then I heard a voice,

Truly, I would seek to God, and to God I would put my plea,

to set on high those who are low, so that those who mourn may be lifted up to safety;

Oh that my grief were but weighed, and my ruin laid in the balances together!

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; therefore my words have been rash.

For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, their fury is drinking my spirit; the terrors of God are set against me.

My soul refuses to touch them; they are sickening food to me.

Oh that I might have my desire, and that God would grant the thing that I long for!

Even that it would please God to destroy me; that He would loose His hand and cut me off!

And it is yet my comfort; yea, I would rejoice in pain, though He did not spare me; for I have not hidden the words of the Holy One.

What is my strength, that I should hope? And what is my end, that I should be patient?

Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh bronze?

Is not my help in me? And is wisdom fully driven away from me?

My brothers have dealt deceitfully as a torrent; they pass away as the streams of torrents,

Surely now you are like them; you see my casting down, and are afraid.

Did I say, Give to me? or, Offer a bribe for me from your wealth;

or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand; or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?

Teach me, and I will be silent; and cause me to understand where I have gone astray.

And now, please look on me; for if I lie, it is before your face.

Turn back, please let there be no sin; yea, return again, my righteousness is in this matter.

Is there wrong in my tongue? Cannot my taste discern desirable things?

so I am made to possess months of vanity, and weary nights are appointed to me.

My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken and has run afresh.

My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are ended without hope.

Remember that my life is a breath; my eye shall no more see good.

The eye of him who has seen me shall see me no more; Your eyes are on me, and I am gone.

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

Am I like the sea, or a whale, that You set a watch over me?

When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint,

then You scare me with dreams, and terrify me with visions;

so that my soul chooses strangling, death rather than my life.

I despise them; I will not live always; let me alone, for my days are vanity.

Until when will You look away from me, nor let me alone until I swallow down my spittle?

I have sinned. What shall I do to You, O Watcher of men? Why have You set me as a target for You, so that I am a burden to myself?

And why do You not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? For now I shall sleep in the dust, and You shall seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.

Behold! He goes by me, and I do not see Him; He passes on also, but I do not perceive Him.

How much less shall I answer Him, and choose my arguments with Him?

Whom, though I were righteous, yet I would not answer; I seek mercy for my judgment.

If I had called and He had answered me, yet would I not believe that He had listened to my voice;

He who breaks me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause;

who will not allow me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

If I speak of strength, lo, He is mighty! And if of judgment, who shall set me a time?

If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me; though I am perfect, He shall declare me perverse.

Though I were perfect, yet I would not know my soul. I would despise my life.

Now my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good.

If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will depart from my heaviness and be of good cheer,

I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that You will not hold me innocent.

If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands ever so clean,

yet You will plunge me into the ditch and my own clothes shall despise me.

Let Him take His rod away from me, and let not His fear make me afraid;

then would I speak and not fear Him; for it is not so with me.

My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint on my self; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

I will say to God, Do not condemn me; make me know why You contend with me.

that You seek out my iniquity, and search for my sin?

Your hands have made me and shaped me, together all around; yet You destroy me.

Remember, I beseech You, that You have formed me as the clay; and will You bring me into the dust again?

Have You not poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese?

You have clothed me with skin and flesh, and have fenced me with bones and sinews.

You have granted me life and favor, and Your providence has preserved my spirit.

If I sin, then You mark me, and You will not acquit me from my iniquity.

If I am wicked, woe to me; and if I am righteous, I will not lift up my head, being filled with shame, and looking on my affliction.

For it increases! You hunt me as a fierce lion; and again You show Yourself marvelous on me.

You renew Your witnesses against me, and increase Your anger on me; changes and warfare are against me.

Why then have You brought me from the womb? Oh that I had given up the spirit, and no eye had seen me!

Are not my days few? Cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

For you have said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in Your eyes.

Lo, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it.

Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case before God.

Hear now my reasoning, and listen to the pleadings of my lips.

Be quiet. Let me alone so that I may speak, and let come on me what may.

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

Though he slay me, I will not wait, but I will maintain my own ways before Him.

He also is my salvation, for an ungodly one shall not come before Him.

Listen carefully to my words, and let what I say be in your ears.

Behold now, I have set my cause in order; I know that I shall be justified.

Who is he that will plead for me, for now, I would be quiet and expire.

Only do not do two things to me; then I will not hide myself from You.

Withdraw Your hand far from me, and let not Your fear make me afraid.

Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and answer You me.

How many are my iniquities and sins? Make known my transgressions and my sin.

Why do You hide Your face, and hold me for Your enemy?

For You write bitter things against me, and make me to possess the sins of my youth.

You put my feet also in the stocks, and look closely to all my paths; You set a limit for the soles of my feet.

And You open Your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with You.

look away from him, so that he may rest until he shall finish his day, as a hireling.

Who will grant that You would hide me in the grave, that You would keep me secret, until Your wrath is past, that You would set me a fixed time and remember me?

If a man die, shall he revive? All the days of my warfare I will wait, until my change comes.

For now You number my steps; do You not watch over my sin?

My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and You cover over my iniquity.