There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and this man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God and abstained from evil.

And it was so, when the days of the feasting were gone about, that Job sent and hallowed them; and he rose up early in the morning, and offered up burnt-offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

And Jehovah said to Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and abstaineth from evil?

Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is spread abroad in the land.

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

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

And Jehovah said to Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and abstaineth from evil? and still he remaineth firm in his integrity, though thou movedst me against him, to swallow him up without cause.

And Satan answered Jehovah and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life;

And three friends of Job heard of all this evil that was come upon him. And they came each one from his place: Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to condole with him and to comfort him.

And they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights; and none spoke a word to him; for they saw that his anguish was very great.

Let the day perish in which I was born, and the night that said, There is a man child conceived.

That day let it be darkness, let not +God care for it from above, neither let light shine upon it:

That night let gloom seize upon it; let it not rejoice among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.

Behold, let that night be barren; let no joyful sound come therein;

Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to rouse Leviathan;

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

Why did the knees meet me? and wherefore the breasts, that I should suck?

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

Wherefore is light given to him that is in trouble, and life to those bitter of soul,

For I feared a fear, and it hath come upon me, and that which I dreaded hath come to me.

Thy words have upholden him that was stumbling, and thou hast braced up the bending knees:

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

Even as I have seen, they that plough iniquity and sow mischief, reap the same.

How much more them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed as the moth!

Call, I pray thee! Is there any that answereth thee? and to which of the holy ones wilt thou turn?

Setting up on high those that are low; and mourners are exalted to prosperity.

And thou shalt know that thy tent is in peace; and thou wilt survey thy fold, and miss nothing.

And thou shalt know that thy seed is numerous, and thine offspring as the herb of the earth.

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

Shall that which is insipid be eaten without salt? Is there any taste in the white of an egg?

What my soul refuseth to touch, that is as my loathsome food.

Oh that I might have my request, and that +God would grant my desire!

And that it would please +God to crush 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 mine end, that I should have patience?

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

For him that is fainting kindness is meet from his friend; or he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

Do ye imagine to reprove words? The speeches of one that is desperate are indeed for the wind.

Remember thou that my life is wind; mine eye shall no more see good.

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

The cloud consumeth and vanisheth away; so he that goeth down to Sheol shall not come up.

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

So that my soul chooseth strangling, death, rather than my bones.

What is man, that thou makest much of him? and that thou settest thy heart upon him?

And that thou visitest him every morning, triest him every moment?

Have I sinned, what do I unto thee, thou Observer of men? Why hast thou set me as an object of assault for thee, so that I am become a burden to myself?

So are the paths of all that forget God; and the profane man's hope shall perish,

They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked be no more.

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

They pass by like skiffs of reed; as an eagle that swoops upon the prey.

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

Be it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain?

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

Doth it please thee to oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thy hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

That thou searchest after mine iniquity, and inquirest into my sin;

Since thou knowest that I am not wicked, and that there is none that delivereth out of thy hand?

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as clay, and wilt bring me into dust again.

And these things didst thou hide in thy heart; I know that this was with thee.

Are not my days few? cease then and let me alone, that I may revive a little,

But oh that +God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, how that they are the double of what is realised; and know that +God passeth by much of thine iniquity!

For thou shalt forget misery; as waters that are passed away shalt thou remember it;

I am to be one that is a derision to his friend, I who call upon +God, and whom he will answer: a derision is the just upright man.

He that is ready to stumble with the foot is a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

The tents of desolators are in peace, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand +God bringeth.

Who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this?

Oh that ye would be altogether silent! and it would be your wisdom.

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

Behold now, I have ordered the cause; I know that I shall be justified.

Who is he that contendeth with me? For if I were silent now, I should expire.

One who, as a rotten thing consumeth, as a garment that the moth eateth.

Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, that thou wouldest keep me secret until thine anger be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me, --

Art thou the first man that was born? and wast thou brought forth before the hills?

What knowest thou that we know not? what understandest thou which is not in us?

That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest words go out of thy mouth?

What is man, that he should be pure? and he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

How much less the abominable and corrupt, man, that drinketh unrighteousness like water!

He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is singled out for the sword.

He wandereth abroad for bread, where may it be? He knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

And he dwelleth in desolate cities, in houses that no man inhabiteth, which are destined to become heaps.

Shall words of wind have an end? or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?

Even now, behold, my Witness is in the heavens, and he that voucheth for me is in the heights.

Oh that there were arbitration for a man with +God, as a son of man for his friend!

Lay down now a pledge, be thou surety for me with thyself: who is he that striketh hands with me?

He that betrayeth friends for a prey even the eyes of his children shall fail.

But the righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall increase in strength.

Thou that tearest thyself in thine anger, shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of its place?

They that come after shall be astonished at his day, as they that went before them were affrighted.

Surely, such are the dwellings of the unrighteous man, and such the place of him that knoweth not God.

And be it that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.

Know now that +God hath overthrown me, and hath surrounded me with his net.

He hath hedged up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.

Oh would that my words were written! oh that they were inscribed in a book!

That with an iron style and lead they were graven in the rock for ever!

And as for me, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and the Last, he shall stand upon the earth;

Be ye yourselves afraid of the sword! for the sword is fury against misdeeds, that ye may know there is a judgment.

Knowest thou not this, that of old, since man was placed upon earth,

That which he laboured for shall he restore, and not swallow down; its restitution shall be according to the value, and he shall not rejoice therein.

For he hath oppressed, hath forsaken the poor; he hath violently taken away a house that he did not build.

It shall be that, to fill his belly, he will cast his fierce anger upon him, and will rain it upon him into his flesh.