Seven sons and three daughters were born to him.

His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.

The Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.”

The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.”

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.

Now on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,

a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,

and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped.

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord.

The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.”

The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.”

However, put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face.”

So the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.”

Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.

And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes.

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!”

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, they came each one from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him.

Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.

“Let the day perish on which I was to be born,
And the night which said, ‘A boy is conceived.’

“May that day be darkness;
Let not God above care for it,
Nor light shine on it.

“Let darkness and black gloom claim it;
Let a cloud settle on it;
Let the blackness of the day terrify it.

“Let those curse it who curse the day,
Who are prepared to rouse Leviathan.

“Why did I not die at birth,
Come forth from the womb and expire?

“The prisoners are at ease together;
They do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.

“Why is light given to him who suffers,
And life to the bitter of soul,

“Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,
And whom God has hedged in?

“Your words have helped the tottering to stand,
And you have strengthened feeble knees.

“But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;
It touches you, and you are dismayed.

“According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity
And those who sow trouble harvest it.

“By the breath of God they perish,
And by the blast of His anger they come to an end.

“Now a word was brought to me stealthily,
And my ear received a whisper of it.

‘Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them?
They die, yet without wisdom.’

“Call now, is there anyone who will answer you?
And to which of the holy ones will you turn?

“His harvest the hungry devour
And take it to a place of thorns,
And the schemer is eager for their wealth.

So that He sets on high those who are lowly,
And those who mourn are lifted to safety.

“By day they meet with darkness,
And grope at noon as in the night.

“Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves,
So do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.

“You will come to the grave in full vigor,
Like the stacking of grain in its season.

“My soul refuses to touch them;
They are like loathsome food to me.

“Oh that my request might come to pass,
And that God would grant my longing!

“Would that God were willing to crush me,
That He would loose His hand and cut me off!

“Do you intend to reprove my words,
When the words of one in despair belong to the wind?

“Now please look at me,
And see if I lie to your face.

“Is not man forced to labor on earth,
And are not his days like the days of a hired man?

“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And come to an end without hope.

“When a cloud vanishes, it is gone,
So he who goes down to Sheol does not come up.

“He will not return again to his house,
Nor will his place know him anymore.

“Have I sinned? What have I done to You,
O watcher of men?
Why have You set me as Your target,
So that I am a burden to myself?

“Why then 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, but I will not be.”

“He trusts in his house, but it does not stand;
He holds fast to it, but it does not endure.

“If one wished to dispute with Him,
He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.

Who commands the sun not to shine,
And sets a seal upon the stars;

“Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him;
Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.

“Were He to snatch away, who could restrain Him?
Who could say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’

“For though I were right, I could not answer;
I would have to implore the mercy of my judge.

“If I called and He answered me,
I could not believe that He was listening to my voice.

“He will not allow me to get my breath,
But saturates me with bitterness.

“I am guiltless;
I do not take notice of myself;
I despise my life.

“For He is not a man as I am that I may answer Him,
That we may go to court together.

“I loathe my own life;
I will give full vent to my complaint;
I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

“I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me;
Let me know why You contend with me.

‘Is it right for You indeed to oppress,
To reject the labor of Your hands,
And to look favorably on the schemes of the wicked?

‘Have You eyes of flesh?
Or do You see as a man sees?

‘According to Your knowledge I am indeed not guilty,
Yet there is no deliverance from Your hand.

‘If I am wicked, woe to me!
And if I am righteous, I dare not lift up my head.
I am sated with disgrace and conscious of my misery.

‘I should have been as though I had not been,
Carried from womb to tomb.’

Before I go—and I shall not return—
To the land of darkness and deep shadow,

And show you the secrets of wisdom!
For sound wisdom has two sides.
Know then that God forgets a part of your iniquity.

“They are high as the heavens, what can you do?
Deeper than Sheol, what can you know?

“If you would direct your heart right
And spread out your hand to Him,

If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away,
And do not let wickedness dwell in your tents;

“But the eyes of the wicked will fail,
And there will be no escape for them;
And their hope is to breathe their last.”

“Truly then you are the people,
And with you wisdom will die!

“But I have intelligence as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
And who does not know such things as these?

“I am a joke to my friends,
The one who called on God and He answered him;
The just and blameless man is a joke.

“Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you;
And let the fish of the sea declare to you.

“With Him are wisdom and might;
To Him belong counsel and understanding.

“With Him are strength and sound wisdom,
The misled and the misleader belong to Him.

“What you know I also know;
I am not inferior to you.

“But I would speak to the Almighty,
And I desire to argue with God.

“Please hear my argument
And listen to the contentions of my lips.

“Listen carefully to my speech,
And let my declaration fill your ears.

“Who will contend with me?
For then I would be silent and die.

“Only two things do not do to me,
Then I will not hide from Your face:

“Then call, and I will answer;
Or let me speak, then reply to me.

“How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make known to me my rebellion and my sin.

“Why do You hide Your face
And consider me Your enemy?

“Will You cause a driven leaf to tremble?
Or will You pursue the dry chaff?

“For You write bitter things against me
And make me to inherit the iniquities of my youth.

“Turn Your gaze from him that he may rest,
Until he fulfills his day like a hired man.

“Oh that You would hide me in Sheol,
That You would conceal me until Your wrath returns to You,
That You would set a limit for me and remember me!