The Lord said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" And Satan answered the Lord, "From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it."

So the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil."

So the Lord said to Satan, "All right then, everything he has is in your power. Only do not extend your hand against the man himself!" So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

While this one was still speaking, another messenger arrived and said, "The fire of God has fallen from heaven and has burned up the sheep and the servants -- it has consumed them! And I -- only I alone -- escaped to tell you!"

While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword! And I -- only I alone -- escaped to tell you!"

While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,

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!"

And the Lord said to Satan, "Where do you come from?" Satan answered the Lord, "From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it."

Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil. And he still holds firmly to his integrity, so that you stirred me up to destroy him without reason."

So the Lord said to Satan, "All right, he is in your power; only preserve his life."

Then his wife said to him, "Are you still holding firmly to your integrity? Curse God, and die!"

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.

Job spoke up and said:

"Let the day on which I was born perish, and the night that said, 'A man has been conceived!'

"Have I ever said, 'Give me something, and from your fortune make gifts in my favor'?

Then Bildad the Shuhite spoke up and said:

Then Zophar the Naamathite spoke up and said:

For you have said, 'My teaching is flawless, and I am pure in your sight.'

But you have said, 'What does God know? Does he judge through such deep darkness?

And he said to mankind, 'The fear of the Lord -- that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.'"

"If I have put my confidence in gold or said to pure gold, 'You are my security!'

if the members of my household have never said, 'If only there were someone who has not been satisfied from Job's meat!' --

I said to myself, 'Age should speak, and length of years should make wisdom known.'

"Indeed, you have said in my hearing (I heard the sound of the words!):

"Has anyone said to God, 'I have endured chastisement, but I will not act wrongly any more.

Elihu said further:

Who has prescribed his ways for him? Or said to him, 'You have done what is wicked'?

when I said, 'To here you may come and no farther, here your proud waves will be confined'?

You said, 'Pay attention, and I will speak; I will question you, and you will answer me.'

After the Lord had spoken these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My anger is stirred up against you and your two friends, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.