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

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

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

Now it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before LORD, that Satan also came among them.

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

But put forth thy hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will renounce thee to thy face.

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

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

Again it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before LORD, that Satan came also among them to present himself before LORD.

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

Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that came upon him, they came each one from his own place--Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite--and they made an appointment together to come t

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

Let that day be darkness. Let not God from above seek for it, nor let the light shine upon it.

As for that night, let thick 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 barren. Let no joyful voice come in it.

Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breast, that I should suck?

Or I should have been as a hidden untimely birth, as infants that never saw light.

For the thing which I fear comes upon me, and that which I am afraid of comes to me.

Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.

so that he sets up on high those who are low, and those who mourn are exalted to safety.

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

And thou shall know that thy tent is in peace, and thou shall visit thy fold, and shall miss nothing.

Thou shall know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth.

O that my grief were but weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances!

Can that which has no savor be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

O 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 crush me, that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

And be it still my consolation, yea, let me exult (in pain that does not spare), that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

What is my strength that I should wait? And what is my end that I should be patient?

Is it not that I have no help in me, and that wisdom is driven quite from me?

My brothers have dealt deceitfully as a brook, as the channel of brooks that pass away,

The caravans [that travel] by the way of them turn aside. They go up into the waste, and perish.

Do ye think to reprove words, seeing that the speeches of a man who is desperate are as wind?

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

Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, that thou set a watch over me?

so that my soul chooses strangling and death rather than [these] my bones.

What is man, that thou should magnify him, and that thou should set thy mind upon him,

and that thou should visit him every morning, and try him every moment?

If I have sinned, what do I do to thee, O thou watcher of men? Why have thou set me as a mark for thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out

Of a truth I know that it is so. But how can man be just with God?

If I had called, and he had answered me, yet I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice.

They are passed away as the swift ships, as the eagle that swoops on the prey.

I am afraid of all my sorrows. I know that thou will not hold me innocent.

For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.

Is it good to thee that thou should oppress, that thou should despise the work of thy hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

that thou inquire after my iniquity, and search after my sin,

although thou know that I am not wicked. And there is none that can deliver out of thy hand?

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou have fashioned me as clay. And will thou bring me into dust again?

Yet these things thou hid in thy heart. I know that this is with thee.

Are not my days few? Cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little

But O that God would speak, and open his lips against thee,

and that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom! For he is manifold in understanding. Know therefore that God exacts of thee less than thine iniquity deserves.

For thou shall forget thy misery. Thou shall remember it as waters that are passed away.

Who does not know in all these, that the hand of LORD has wrought this,

O that ye would altogether be silent! And it would be your wisdom.

Is it good that he should search you out? Or as deceiving a man, will ye deceive him?

Be quiet. Let me alone that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

This also shall be my salvation, that a profane man shall not come before him.

Behold now, I have set my case in order. I know that I am righteous.

Though I am like a rotten thing that decays, like a garment that is moth-eaten.

Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with thee, and thou have appointed his bounds that he cannot pass,

look away from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.

For there is hope of a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch of it will not cease.

O that thou would hide me in Sheol, that thou would keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou would appoint for me a set time, and remember me!

What do thou know, that we do not know? What do thou understand, which is not in us?

Are the consolations of God too small for thee, even the word that is gentle toward thee?

that against God thou turn thy spirit, and let words go out of thy mouth?

What is man, that he should be clean? And he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

I will show thee. Hear thou me, and that which I have seen I will declare,

The wicked man travails with pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.

He does not believe that he shall return out of darkness. And he is awaited by the sword.

He wanders abroad for bread, [saying], Where is it? He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

Shall vain words have an end? Or what provokes thee that thou answer?

that he would maintain the right of a man with God, and of a son of man with his neighbor!

Give now a pledge, be surety for me with thyself. Who is there that will strike hands with me?

There shall dwell in his tent that which is none of his. Brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.

These ten times ye have reproached me. Ye are not ashamed that ye deal hardly with me.

And be it indeed that I have erred, my error remains with myself.

know now that God has subverted me, and has encompassed me with his net.

He has walled up my way that I cannot pass, and has set darkness in my paths.

O that my words were now written! O that they were inscribed in a book,

that they were engraved in the rock forever with an iron pen and lead!

But as for me I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last he will stand up upon the earth.

If ye say, How we will persecute him! And that the root of the matter is found in me,

be ye afraid of the sword. For wrath [brings] the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.

Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, even because of my haste that is in me.

that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the profane but for a moment?

That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down. According to the substance that he has gotten, he shall not rejoice.

Because he knew no quietness within him, he shall not save any of that in which he delights.

There was nothing left that he did not devour, therefore his prosperity shall not endure.

All darkness is laid up for his treasures. A fire not blown shall devour him. It shall consume that which is left in his tent.

What is the Almighty that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray to him?

How often is it that the lamp of the profane is put out, that their calamity comes upon them, that [God] distributes sorrows in his anger,

that they are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carries away?

[Ye say], God lays up his iniquity for his sons. Let him recompense it to himself that he may know it.

that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity? That they are led forth to the day of wrath?

Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou are righteous? Or is it gain [to him] that thou make thy ways perfect?

Is it for thy fear [of him] that he reproves thee, that he enters with thee into judgment?

or darkness, so that thou cannot see, and abundance of waters cover thee.