His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

And his sons used to go and hold a feast {at each other's house} on his day, and they would send, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that 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. Thus did Job continually.

Now it happened on the day when God's sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, that Satan also came among them.

So Yahweh said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, "From roaming on the earth and from walking about in it."

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."

And the adversary will answer Yehovah and say, Did Job fear God gratuitously?

But put forth thy hand now and touch all that he hath, and see if he will not curse thee to thy face!

And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

And a messenger came to Job; and he will say, The oxen were ploughing, and the he asses were feeding upon their hands.

This one yet speaking, and this came, and he will say, The fire of God. fell from the heavens, and it will burn upon the sheep and upon the young men, and it will devour them; and I shall escape, only I alone, to announce to thee.

This one yet speaking, and this came, and he will say, The Chaldeans set three heads, and they invaded upon the camels, and they will take them, and they struck the young men with the mouth of the sword; and I shall escape, only I alone, to announce to thee.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

And behold, a great wind came from across the desert, and it struck the four corners of the house {so that} it fell upon the young people, and they died. But I escaped, [even] I alone, to tell you."

And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

In all this Job did no sin, and did not say that God's acts were foolish.

Again it happened on the day when the God's sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, that Satan came also among them to present himself before Yahweh.

So Yahweh {asked} Satan, "From where have you come?" And Satan answered Yahweh and said, "From roaming on the earth and from walking about in it."

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."

Then the accuser answered Yahweh, and said, Skin for skin, and so, all that a man hath, will he give for his life.

but put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and see if he will not curse thee to thy face!

So Yahweh said to Satan, "{All right}, he [is] in your {power}. Only spare his life."

So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

{So} he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and he sat in the midst of the ashes.

And his wife said to him, Are you still keeping your righteousness? Say a curse against God, and put an end to yourself.

So he said to her, "You speak like one of the foolish women speaks. Indeed, should we receive the good from God, but not receive the evil?" In all this, Job did not sin with his lips.

Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

When they looked from a distance and did not recognize him [because of his disfigurement], they raised their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe [in grief] and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky [in sorrow].

So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

So then Job began, and said:

"Let the day when I was born be annihilated, along with the night when it was announced, "It's a boy!'

Let darkness and death-shade buy it back, May there settle down upon it a cloud, Let a day's dark eclipse cause it terror:

They cursing the day shall curse it, they being ready to rouse up the sea monster.

Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:

Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.

Why did death not take me when I came out of my mother's body, why did I not, when I came out, give up my last breath?

Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.

“There the prisoners rest together;
They do not hear the taskmaster’s voice.

I sigh when food is put before me,
and my groans pour out like water.

And Eliphaz the Temanite will answer and say,

"But now it's your turn, and you're the one who is worn out! Now it's striking you, and you're dismayed!

Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

The roaring of the lion, the voice of the lioness, and the teeth of the lion's whelps are broken.

The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.

Something was present before me, but I was not able to see it clearly; there was a form before my eyes: a quiet voice came to my ears, saying:

‘Is not their tent-cord drawn up within them [so that the tent collapses]?
Do they not die, and yet without [acquiring] wisdom?’

I myself saw the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation.

“His children are far from safety [and included in their father’s ruin],
They are oppressed and crushed in the [court of justice in the city’s] gate,
And there is no one to rescue them.

The hungry consume his harvest,
even taking it out of the thorns.
The thirsty pant for his children’s wealth.

But trouble is man's fate from birth, as the flames go up from the fire.

So that he setteth up on high those that are low, And those that mourn are exalted to safety.

He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

“He catches the [so-called] wise in their own shrewdness,
And the advice of the devious is quickly thwarted.

So he delivers from the sword of their mouth the poor from the power of the mighty.

So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.

“Behold, how happy and fortunate is the man whom God reproves,
So do not despise or reject the discipline of the Almighty [subjecting you to trial and suffering].

He delivereth thee out of six troubles, so that in the seventh there can no harm touch thee.

He shall keep thee from the perilous tongue so that when trouble cometh, thou shalt not need to fear.

And you will be certain that your tent is at peace, and after looking over your property you will see that nothing is gone.

Thou shalt see also, that thy seed shall increase, and that thy posterity shall be as the grass upon the earth.

You'll go to your grave at a ripe old age; like a stack of grain that's harvested at just the right time.

Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

And Job will answer and say,

“Oh, that my grief could actually be weighed
And placed in the balances together with my tragedy [to see if my grief is the grief of a coward]!

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.

Surely the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me;
my spirit drinks their poison.
God’s terrors are arrayed against me.

If only he would be pleased to put an end to me; and would let loose his hand, so that I might be cut off!

So I would still have comfort, and I would have joy in the pains of death, for I have not been false to the words of the Holy One.

“For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend;
So that he does not forsake the fear of the Almighty.

They were distressed, because each one had been so confident; they arrived there, but were disappointed.

For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.

Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?

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

Give me teaching and I will be quiet; and make me see my error.

Do you think that you can disprove my words
or that a despairing man’s words are mere wind?

Now then, let your eyes be turned to me, for truly I will not say what is false to your face.

Have I said anything that's unjust? I can discern evil, can't I?"

So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.

When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

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

O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.

The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.

As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.

"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 a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?

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

then troublest thou me with dreams - and makest me so afraid through visions

So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.

I can see no remedy. I shall live no more. O spare me then, for my days are but vain.

What is man, that You think so highly of him
and pay so much attention to him?

so that you visit him {every morning}, you test him {every moment}?

How long will it be before your eyes are turned away from me, so that I may have a minute's breathing-space?

I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

And Bildad the Shuhite will answer and say,

“How long will you say these things?
And will the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?

Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what's right?

So shall thy beginning appear small, - when, thy latter end, he shall greatly increase!

Will they not give you teaching, and say words of wisdom to you?

"Can papyrus grow where there's no marsh? Can reeds flourish without water?