There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one that feared God, and turned away from evil.

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

And it was so, when the days of their feasting were finished, 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.

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

And the Lord said to the Satan, Where do you come from? And the Satan said in answer, From wandering this way and that on the earth, and walking about on it.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one that fears God, and turns away from evil?

Then Satan answered the Lord, "Is it for nothing that Job fears God?

Have not you made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he has on every side? you have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions are increased in the land.

But put forth your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.

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

And the day is, that his sons and his daughters are eating, and drinking wine, in the house of their brother, the first-born.

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

That messenger was still speaking when yet another came and reported: “The Chaldeans formed three bands, made a raid on the camels, and took them away. They struck down the servants with the sword, and I alone have escaped 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."

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.

And the Lord said to the Satan, Where do you come from? And the Satan said in answer, From wandering this way and that on the earth, and walking about on it.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one that fears God, and turns away from evil? and still he holds fast his integrity, although you moved me against him, to destroy him without cause.

And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man has will he give for his life.

so that he sat upon the ground in the ashes, and scraped off the filth of his sores with a potsherd.

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.

And lifting up their eyes when they were still far off, it did not seem that the man they saw was Job because of the change in him. And they gave way to bitter weeping, with signs of grief, and put dust on their heads.

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

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

Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.

Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own. Let a cloud dwell on it. Let all that makes black the day terrify it.

As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not rejoice among the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.

Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come into it.

Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to arouse leviathan.

Let the stars of that night be dim through darkness of it. Let it look for light, but let it see none, neither the raising up of the fair morning:

Because it shut not up the doors of the womb that bore me, and hid not trouble from mine eyes.

Why did the knees receive me? or why the breasts that I should nurse?

Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:

Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants that have not seen the light.

In that place, the wicked stop causing trouble, and there, those whose strength is exhausted are at rest.

There, are those let out free which have been in prison, so that they hear no more the voice of the oppressor.

There, are small and great; the bondman, and he that is free from his master.

Therefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;

to those who wait for death that does not come, and search for it more than for hidden treasures,

That should be joy to the man whose way is hid, which God keepeth back from him.

For the thing which I greatly feared has come upon me, and that which I was afraid of has come unto me.

Your words have upheld him that was falling, and you have strengthened the feeble knees.

But now that this has happened to you,
you have become exhausted.
It strikes you, and you are dismayed.

Remember, I pray thee, who that was innocent has perished? and where were the upright cut off?

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

They perish by the breath of God; they are consumed by the storm that is his anger.

Full grown lions die when they cannot find prey; that's when the lion cubs are scattered.

A fear fell upon me, along with trembling that caused all my bones to shake in terror.

"Can a mortal person be more righteous than God? Or can the purity of the valiant exceed that of his maker?'

How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth?

Isn't their tent cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.'

Call now, if there be any that will answer you; and to which of the holy ones will you turn?

I have seen myself, when the foolish was deep rooted, that his beauty was suddenly destroyed,

that his children were without prosperity or health; that they were slain in the door, and no man to deliver them;

that his harvest was eaten up of the hungry; that the weaponed man had spoiled it, and that the thirsty had drunk up his riches.

"It is not the earth that bringeth forth travail, neither cometh sorrow out of the ground;

but it is man, that is born unto misery, like as the sparks fly up out of the hot coals.

who does great things that can't be fathomed, marvelous things without number;

To set up on high those that are low; that those who mourn may be lifted to safety.

He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their plans.

He traps the wise in their craftiness
so that the plans of the deceptive
are quickly brought to an end.

Insomuch that they run into darkness by fair day, and grope about them at the noonday, like as in the night.

So he saves from the sword that comes from their mouth, even the poor from the hand of the powerful.

that the poor may have hope, and that the mouth of the oppressor may be stopped.

Truly, that man is happy who has training from the hand of God: so do not let your heart be shut to the teaching of the Ruler of all.

For, he, woundeth that he may bind up, He smiteth through, that, his own hands, may heal.

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 shall know that your tabernacle shall be in peace; and you shall visit your habitation, and shall find nothing amiss.

You shall know also that your descendants shall be many, and your offspring as the grass of 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 ourselves have proved by experience, and even this it is. Hearken thou to it also, that thou mayest take heed to thyself."

Job answered, and said, "Oh that my misery were weighed, and my punishment laid in the balances:

Oh that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!

For then it would outweigh the sand of the seas!
That is why my words are rash.

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

The things that my soul refused to touch are as loathsome food to me.

Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

Then should I yet have comfort; and in the pain which spareth not I would rejoice that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is my end, that I should prolong my life?

Is my strength that of stone,
or my flesh made of bronze?

Is it not that there is no help in me, and soundness is driven away from me?

To him that is afflicted pity should be shown from his friend; even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks that pass away;

But they that fear the hoarfrost, the snow shall fall upon them.

The caravans that travel beside them turn aside. They go up into the waste, and perish.

They are ashamed that they had trusted, They have come up to one of them, and are confounded.

For now you have become like these streams that are no help; you see a terror, and are afraid.

Is it that I said, Make me a gift, or, out of your abundance, offer a bribe on my behalf;

Or, Get me out of the power of my hater? or, Give money so that I may be free from the power of the cruel ones?

How pleasant are the sayings that are right! But what can a decision from you, decide?

Do you intend to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?

But, now, be pleased to turn to me, that it may be, to your faces, if I speak falsehood,

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

As a servant that earnestly desireth the shadow, And as a hireling that looketh for his wages:

O remember that my life is a breath: my eye shall no more see good.

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

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

Therefore I will not spare my mouth, but will speak in the trouble of my spirit; in that bitterness of my mind will I talk.