His estate included 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and a very large number of servants. Job was the greatest man among all the people of the east.

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.

But stretch out Your hand and strike everything he owns, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”

“Very well,” the Lord told Satan, “everything he owns is in your power. However, you must not lay a hand on Job himself.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.

a messenger came to Job and reported: “While the oxen were plowing and the donkeys grazing nearby,

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.

Throughout all this Job did not sin or blame God for anything.

“Skin for skin!” Satan answered the Lord. “A man will give up everything he owns in exchange for his life.

But stretch out Your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”

“Very well,” the Lord told Satan, “he is in your power; only spare his life.”

Then Job took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself while he sat among the ashes.

“You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept only good from God and not adversity?” Throughout all this Job did not sin in what he said.

Now when Job’s three friends—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite—heard about all this adversity that had happened to him, each of them came from his home. They met together to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.

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

They are smashed to pieces from dawn to dusk;
they perish forever while no one notices.

Call out if you please. Will anyone answer you?
Which of the holy ones will you turn to?

He will rescue you from six calamities;
no harm will touch you in seven.

In famine He will redeem you from death,
and in battle, from the power of the sword.

You will be safe from slander
and not fear destruction when it comes.

You will laugh at destruction and hunger
and not fear the animals of the earth.

For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field,
and the wild animals will be at peace with you.

You will know that your tent is secure,
and nothing will be missing when you inspect your home.

You will also know that your offspring will be many
and your descendants like the grass of the earth.

You will approach the grave in full vigor,
as a stack of sheaves is gathered in its season.

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

When I lie down I think:
When will I get up?
But the evening drags on endlessly,
and I toss and turn until dawn.

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.

As a cloud fades away and vanishes,
so the one who goes down to Sheol will never rise again.

He will never return to his house;
his hometown will no longer remember him.

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.

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

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?

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.

How long will you go on saying these things?
Your words are a blast of wind.

if you are pure and upright,
then He will move even now on your behalf
and restore the home where your righteousness dwells.

Then, even if your beginnings were modest,
your final days will be full of prosperity.

Will they not teach you and tell you
and speak from their understanding?

While still uncut shoots,
they would dry up quicker than any other plant.

Such is the destiny of all who forget God;
the hope of the godless will perish.

If he is uprooted from his place,
it will deny knowing him, saying, “I never saw you.”

Surely this is the joy of his way of life;
yet others will sprout from the dust.

Look, God does not reject a person of integrity,
and He will not support evildoers.

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
and your lips with a shout of joy.

Your enemies will be clothed with shame;
the tent of the wicked will exist no longer.

God is wise and all-powerful.
Who has opposed Him and come out unharmed?

It is all the same. Therefore I say,
“He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.”

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.

Since I will be found guilty,
why should I labor in vain?

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

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.

“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?

Surely He knows which people are worthless.
If He sees iniquity, will He not take note of it?

But a stupid man will gain understanding
as soon as a wild donkey is born a man!

if there is iniquity in your hand, remove it,
and don’t allow injustice to dwell in your tents—

then you will hold your head high, free from fault.
You will be firmly established and unafraid.

For you will forget your suffering,
recalling it only as waters that have flowed by.

Your life will be brighter than noonday;
its darkness will be like the morning.

You will be confident, because there is hope.
You will look carefully about and lie down in safety.

You will lie down without fear,
and many will seek your favor.

But the sight of the wicked will fail.
Their way of escape will be cut off,
and their only hope is their last breath.

No doubt you are the people,
and wisdom will die with you!

But ask the animals, and they will instruct you;
ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.

Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you;
let the fish of the sea inform you.

Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?

The life of every living thing is in His hand,
as well as the breath of all mankind.

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

But you coat the truth with lies;
you are all worthless doctors.

Would it go well if He examined you?
Could you deceive Him as you would deceive a man?

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

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.

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:

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

Will You frighten a wind-driven leaf?
Will You chase after dry straw?

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

Do You really take notice of one like this?
Will You bring me into judgment against You?

There is hope for a tree:
If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
and its shoots will not die.

so man lies down never to rise again.
They will not wake up until the heavens are no more;
they will not stir from their sleep.

When a man dies, will he come back to life?
If so, I would wait all the days of my struggle
until my relief comes.

as you turn your anger against God
and allow such words to leave your mouth?

Listen to me and I will inform you.
I will describe what I have seen,

A wicked man writhes in pain all his days;
only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.

He doesn’t believe he will return from darkness;
he is destined for the sword.

he will dwell in ruined cities,
in abandoned houses destined to become piles of rubble.

He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure.
His possessions will not increase in the land.

He will not escape from the darkness;
flames will wither his shoots,
and by the breath of God’s mouth, he will depart.

Let him not put trust in worthless things, being led astray,
for what he gets in exchange will prove worthless.

It will be accomplished before his time,
and his branch will not flourish.

He will be like a vine that drops its unripe grapes
and like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.

For the company of the godless will have no children,
and fire will consume the tents of those who offer bribes.

I have heard many things like these.
You are all miserable comforters.

For only a few years will pass
before I go the way of no return.

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Make arrangements! Put up security for me.
Who else will be my sponsor?

You have closed their minds to understanding,
therefore You will not honor them.