And seven sons and three daughters were born to him.

Then his livestock came to be seven thousand sheep and goats and three thousand camels and five hundred pairs of oxen and five hundred female donkeys, and he had very many slaves, and that man was greater than all the people 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.

{Then when} the days of the feast had run their course, {Job would send}, and he would sanctify them. Thus he would arise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings [according to] the number of all of them, because Job thought, "Perhaps my children have sinned and {cursed} God in their heart." This is what Job used to do {all the time}.

And it happened {one day} {that} the sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh, and Satan also came into their midst.

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."

Have you not put a fence around him and his household and around {all that belongs to him} {on every side}? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock has increased in the land.

But, on the other hand, stretch out your hand and touch {all that belongs to him} [and see] {whether} he will {curse} you to your face."

So Yahweh said to Satan, "Look, {all that belongs to him} is in your {power}. Only do not stretch out your hand {against} him." So Satan went out from Yahweh's {presence}.

And then [there] was one day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their firstborn brother's house.

And a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing, and the female donkeys were feeding {beside them}.

Then the Sabeans {attacked}, and they took them, and they slew the servants {by the edge of the sword}. But I escaped, [even] I alone, to tell you."

While this one was still speaking, {another} came and said, "The fire of God fell from the heavens, and it blazed up against the sheep and goats and against the servants, and it consumed them. But I escaped, [even] I alone, to tell you."

While this one was still speaking, {another} came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three divisions, and they made a raid on the camels, and they carried them away, and they struck your servants {by the edge of the sword}, but I escaped, [even] I alone, to tell you."

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 then} one day the sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh, and Satan also came into their midst to present himself before Yahweh.

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."

But stretch out your hand and touch his bones and his flesh, [and see] {whether} he will {curse} you to your face."

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

So Satan went out from {Yahweh's presence}, and he inflicted Job with loathsome skin sores from the sole of his foot up to the crown of his head.

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

Then his wife said to him, "Are you still persisting in your blamelessness? {Curse} God and die."

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.

Thus Job's three friends heard of this calamity that had come upon him. So each set out from his [own] place: Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite. And they met together to come to console him and to comfort him.

Then they sat with him on the ground [for] seven days and seven nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw that {his} suffering was very great.

{Afterward} Job opened his mouth and cursed his day.

"Let [the] day perish on which I was born, and the night that said, 'A man-child is conceived.'

Let that day become darkness; may God not seek it from above, nor may daylight shine on it.

Let darkness and deep shadow claim it; let clouds settle on it; let them terrify it [with the] blackness of day.

Let those who curse the day curse it, those who are skilled at rousing Leviathan.

"Why did I not die at birth? [Why] did I [not] come forth from [the] womb and expire?

[the] prisoners are at ease together; they do not hear [the] oppressor's voice.

"Why does he give light to one in misery and life to [those] bitter of soul,

[Why does he give light] to a man whose way is hidden, and God has fenced him in [all] around?

I am not at ease, and I am not at peace, and I do not have rest, thus turmoil has come."

But now it has come to you, and you are worn out; it touches you, and you are horrified.

By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they come to an end.

"And a word came stealing to me, and my ear received [the] whisper from it.

[Is] not their tent cord pulled up within them? They die, but not in wisdom.'

"Call now, is there [anyone] answering you? And to which of [the] holy ones will you turn?

But a human being is born to trouble, and {they soar aloft} [like] {sparks}.

"But I myself will seek God, and to God I would commit my cause.

to set [the] lowly on high, and [those] mourning are lifted to safety.

[He] is frustrating [the] devices of [the] crafty, and their hands do not achieve success.

You shall come in maturity to [the] grave, as the raising up of a stack of sheaves in its season.

{I refused} to touch [them]; they [are] like {food that will make me ill}.

Is it because I have said, 'Give to me,' or, 'Offer a bribe for me from your wealth'?

Do you intend to reprove [my] words and [consider the] words of a desperate [man] as wind?

"{Therefore} be prepared, turn to me, and I surely will not lie to your face.

So {I had to inherit} months of worthlessness, and nights of misery are apportioned to me.

"My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and they come to an end {without hope}.

Remember that my life [is] a breath; my eye will not return to see good.

A cloud vanishes, and it goes away, so [he who] goes down to Sheol will not come up.

He does not return again to his house, and his place does not recognize him again.

[If] I have sinned, what have I done to you, watcher of humanity? Why have you made me as a target for yourself, so that I have become a burden to myself?

And why do you not pardon my transgression and take away my guilt? For now I shall lie in the dust, and you will seek me, but {I will be no more}."

If you yourself would seek God, then you would plead to Shaddai for grace.

for we [are of] yesterday, and we do not know, for our days on earth [are] a shadow.

If he wants to contend with him, he cannot answer him one [time] in a thousand.

"[He is the one] who moves mountains, and they do not know [how], who overturns them in his anger.

{If} he would snatch away, who could turn him? Who could say to him, 'What are you doing?'

If I summon [him], and he should answer me, I do not believe that he will listen to my voice--

He will not allow me to {catch} my breath; rather, he will fill me with bitterness.

"I [am] blameless; I do not care about myself; I loathe my life.

"And my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away; they do not see good.

I become afraid of all my sufferings; I know that you do not consider me innocent.

"For [he is] not a mortal like me [that] I can answer him, [that] {we can come to trial together}.

"My inner self loathes my life; {I want to give vent to my complaint}; I want to speak out of [the] bitterness of my inner self.

I will say to God, 'You should not condemn me; let me know why you contend [against] me.

{Do you have eyes of flesh}? Or {do you see as human beings see}?

If I am guilty, woe to me! But if I am righteous, I dare not lift my head; [I am] filled [with] shame, and [just] look [at] my misery!

I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been brought from [the] womb to the grave.

Before I go--and I will not return-- to [the] land of darkness and deep shadow,

to [the] land of darkness, like [the] darkness of a deep shadow and {chaos}, so that it shines forth like darkness.'"

Should your loose talk put people to silence? {And when you mock, shall no one put you to shame}?

But, {O that} God might speak, and [that] he would open his lips to you,

{It is higher than the heaven}; what can you do? [It is] deeper than Sheol; what can you know?

"If you yourself direct your heart and stretch out your hands to him--

But [the] eyes of [the] wicked will fail; and refuge will be lost to them, and their hope [is] {to breathe their last breath}."

"Truly indeed you [are the] people, and wisdom will die with you.

I am a laughingstock to my friends: '[He] calls on God, and he answers him.' A righteous, blameless man [is] a laughingstock.

or ask the earth, and it will teach you, and the fishes of the sea will declare to you.

"With him [are] wisdom and powerful deeds, and to him [belong] counsel and understanding.

"He uncovers mysteries out of darkness, and he brings deep shadow to the light.

But I would speak to Shaddai, and I desire to argue with God.

Please hear my argument, and listen attentively [to the] pleadings of my lips.

{Will you show partiality for him}? Or do you want to plead God's case?

Moreover, this [is] salvation to me, that [the] godless would not come {before him}.

"Listen carefully [to] my words, and [let] my exposition [be] in your ears.

"Only you must not do [these] two [things] to me; then I will not hide from your face:

Then call, and I myself will answer; or let me speak, then reply to me.

"{How many} [are] my iniquities and sins? Make known to me my transgression and my sin.

Why do you hide your face and count me as your enemy?

His children may [come to] honor, but he does not know [it]; or they may become lowly, but he does not realize it.

Should he argue in talk [that] is not profitable or [in] words with which he cannot do good?

Have you listened in God's confidential discussion? And do you limit wisdom to yourself?

What do you know that we do not know? [What] do you understand that [is] not clear to us?

"Are the consolations of God too small for you, a word [spoken] gently with you?

Why does your heart carry you away? And why do your eyes flash,