He said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will return there. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed!"

But he replied, "You're talking like one of the godless women would do! Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil?" In all this Job did not sin by what he said.

That day -- let it be darkness; let not God on high regard it, nor let light shine on it!

That night -- let darkness seize it; let it not be included among the days of the year; let it not enter among the number of the months!

Indeed, let that night be barren; let no shout of joy penetrate it!

Let its morning stars be darkened; let it wait for daylight but find none, nor let it see the first rays of dawn,

For now I would be lying down and would be quiet, I would be asleep and then at peace

"If someone should attempt a word with you, will you be impatient? But who can refrain from speaking?

By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.

Then a breath of air passes by my face; it makes the hair of my flesh stand up.

You will be protected from malicious gossip, and will not be afraid of the destruction when it comes.

You will laugh at destruction and famine and need not be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

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

And you will know that your home will be secure, and when you inspect your domains, you will not be missing anything.

You will also know that your children will be numerous, and your descendants like the grass of the earth.

"Oh, if only my grief could be weighed, and my misfortune laid on the scales too!

Can food that is tasteless be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

"Oh that my request would be realized, and that God would grant me what I long for!

And that God would be willing to crush me, that he would let loose his hand and kill me.

"Teach me and I, for my part, will be silent; explain to me how I have been mistaken.

"Now then, be good enough to look at me; and I will not lie to your face!

Relent, let there be no falsehood; reconsider, for my righteousness is intact!

The eye of him who sees me now will see me no more; your eyes will look for me, but I will be gone.

"What is mankind that you make so much of them, and that you pay attention to them?

And why do you not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust, and you will seek me diligently, but I will be gone."

"For inquire now of the former generation, and pay attention to the findings of their ancestors;

Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more."

"Truly, I know that this is so. But how can a human be just before God?

If he passes by me, I cannot see him, if he goes by, I cannot perceive him.

If I summoned him, and he answered me, I would not believe that he would be listening to my voice --

"My days are swifter than a runner, they speed by without seeing happiness.

They glide by like reed boats, like an eagle that swoops down on its prey.

If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression and be cheerful,'

"Should not this abundance of words be answered, or should this talkative man be vindicated?

If he comes by and confines you and convenes a court, then who can prevent him?

For then you will lift up your face without blemish; you will be securely established and will not fear.

And life will be brighter than the noonday; though there be darkness, it will be like the morning.

And you will be secure, because there is hope; you will be protected and will take your rest in safety.

If he tears down, it cannot be rebuilt; if he imprisons a person, there is no escape.

If only you would keep completely silent! For you, that would be wisdom.

"Listen now to my argument, and be attentive to my lips' contentions.

Listen carefully to my words; let your ears be attentive to my explanation.

Who will contend with me? If anyone can, I will be silent and die.

So I waste away like something rotten, like a garment eaten by moths.

My offenses would be sealed up in a bag; you would cover over my sin.

But as a mountain falls away and crumbles, and as a rock will be removed from its place,

What is man that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?

He will not escape the darkness; a flame will wither his shoots and he will depart by the breath of God's mouth.

Let him not trust in what is worthless, deceiving himself; for worthlessness will be his reward.

Before his time he will be paid in full, and his branches will not flourish.

Will there be an end to your windy words? Or what provokes you that you answer?

I was in peace, and he has shattered me. He has seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has made me his target;

"O earth, do not cover my blood, nor let there be a secret place for my cry.

If I hope for the grave to be my home, if I spread out my bed in darkness,

Why should we be regarded as beasts, and considered stupid in your sight?

You who tear yourself to pieces in your anger, will the earth be abandoned for your sake? Or will a rock be moved from its place?

For he has been thrown into a net by his feet and he wanders into a mesh.

A trap seizes him by the heel; a snare grips him.

Why do you pursue me like God does? Will you never be satiated with my flesh?

Fear the sword yourselves, for wrath brings the punishment by the sword, so that you may know that there is judgment."

Like a dream he flies away, never again to be found, and like a vision of the night he is put to flight.

If he flees from an iron weapon, then an arrow from a bronze bow pierces him.

"Listen carefully to my words; let this be the consolation you offer me.

Is my complaint against a man? If so, why should I not be impatient?

Look at me and be appalled; put your hands over your mouths.

How often are they like straw before the wind, and like chaff swept away by a whirlwind?

"Yes, I know what you are thinking, the schemes by which you would wrong me.

Is it of any special benefit to the Almighty that you should be righteous, or is it any gain to him that you make your ways blameless?

"Reconcile yourself with God, and be at peace with him; in this way your prosperity will be good.

If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; if you remove wicked behavior far from your tent,

then the Almighty himself will be your gold, and the choicest silver for you.

Whatever you decide on a matter, it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways.

Would he contend with me with great power? No, he would only pay attention to me.

There an upright person could present his case before him, and I would be delivered forever from my judge.

"Why are times not appointed by the Almighty? Why do those who know him not see his days?

They are soaked by mountain rains and huddle in the rocks because they lack shelter.

In the dark the robber breaks into houses, but by day they shut themselves in; they do not know the light.

The womb forgets him, the worm feasts on him, no longer will he be remembered. Like a tree, wickedness will be broken down.

But God drags off the mighty by his power; when God rises up against him, he has no faith in his life.

Can his armies be numbered? On whom does his light not rise?

How then can a human being be righteous before God? How can one born of a woman be pure?

By his power he stills the sea; by his wisdom he cut Rahab the great sea monster to pieces.

By his breath the skies became fair; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.

"May my enemy be like the wicked, my adversary like the unrighteous.

This is the portion of the wicked man allotted by God, the inheritance that evildoers receive from the Almighty.

Those who survive him are buried by the plague, and their widows do not mourn for them.

The earth, from which food comes, is overturned below as though by fire;

"But wisdom -- where can it be found? Where is the place of understanding?

Mankind does not know its place; it cannot be found in the land of the living.

Fine gold cannot be given in exchange for it, nor can its price be weighed out in silver.

It cannot be measured out for purchase with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or sapphires.

Neither gold nor crystal can be compared with it, nor can a vase of gold match its worth.

Of coral and jasper no mention will be made; the price of wisdom is more than pearls.

The topaz of Cush cannot be compared with it; it cannot be purchased with pure gold.

Destruction and Death say, 'With our ears we have heard a rumor about where it can be found.'

"O that I could be as I was in the months now gone, in the days when God watched over me,

when he caused his lamp to shine upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkness;

My glory will always be fresh in me, and my bow ever new in my hand.'

After I had spoken, they did not respond; my words fell on them drop by drop.

By the brush they would gather herbs from the salt marshes, and the root of the broom tree was their food.