His substance was seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she-asses, and a very great household: so that he was one of the most principal men among all them of the east country.

And it fortuned that when they had passed over the time of their banqueting round about; Job sent for them, and sanctified them, and gat up early, and offered for every one a burnt offering. For Job thought thus: "Peradventure my sons have done some offense, and have been unthankful to God in their hearts." And thus did Job everyday.

Then said the LORD unto Satan, "Hast thou not considered my servant Job, and how that he is an innocent and virtuous man: such one as feareth God, and escheweth evil, and that there is none like him in the land?"

But lay thine hand upon him a little, touch once all that he hath, and, I hold, he shall curse thee to thy face."

And the LORD said unto Satan, "Lo, all that he hath, be in thy power: only upon himself see that thou lay not thine hand." Then went Satan forth from the LORD.

and suddenly there came a mighty great wind out of the South, and smote the four corners of the house: which fell upon thy children, so that they are dead, and I alone am gotten away, to tell thee."

It happened also upon a time, that when the servants of God came and stood before the LORD, Satan also came among them, and stood before him.

Then said the LORD unto Satan, "Hast thou not considered my servant Job, how that he is an innocent and virtuous man such one as feareth God, and escheweth evil, and that there is none like him in the land? But thou movedst me against him, to punish him: yet is it in vain, for he continueth still in his godliness."

Satan answered the LORD, and said, "Skin for skin? Yea, a man will give all that ever he hath, 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 friends heard of all the trouble that happened to him, there came three of them, every one from his own place: namely, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they were agreed together to come, to shew their compassion on him, and to comfort him.

They sat them down by him also upon the ground seven days and seven nights. Neither was there any of them that spake one word unto him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

Let the dark storm overcome that night; let it not be reckoned among the days of the year, nor counted in the months.

Despised be that night, and discommended: let them that curse the day,

give it their curse also, even those that be ready to raise vp 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 womb that bare me. For then should these sorrows have been hid from mine eyes.

As the princes that have great substance of gold, and their houses full of silver.

O that I utterly had no being, or were as a thing born out of time that is put aside, either as young children, which never saw the light.

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.

"Wherefore is the light given to him that is in misery? And life unto them that have heavy hearts?

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

For the thing that I feared is come upon me: and the thing that I was afraid of, is happened unto me.

Thy words have set up those that were fallen, thou hast refreshed the weak knees.

But now that the plague is come upon thee, thou shrinkest away: now that it hath touched thyself, thou art faint hearted.

For, as I have proved by experience, they that plow iniquity and sow wretchedness, reap the same.

How much more then shall they that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is but earth: which shall be consumed by the moth?

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.

which doeth things, that are unsearchable, and marvelous without number.

which setteth up them of low degree, and sendeth prosperity to those that are in heaviness;

Which destroyeth the devices of the subtle, so that they are not able to perform the things that they take in hand;

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

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

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.

Yea, thou shalt know that thy dwelling place shall be in rest: thou shalt behold thy substance, and be no more punished for sin.

Thou shalt see also, that thy seed shall increase, and that thy posterity shall be as the grass upon the earth.

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:

This is the cause, that my words are so sorrowful.

That which is unsavory, shalt it be eaten without salt, or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

The things that sometime I might not away withal, are now my meat for very sorrow.

"O that I might have my desire! O that God would grant me the thing, that I long for!

That he would begin and smite me: that he would let his hand go, and hew me down.

Then should I have some comfort: yea, I would desire him in my pain, that he should not spare, for I will not be against the words of the holy one.

What power have I to endure? Or, what is mine end, that my soul might be patient?

Mine own brethren pass over by me, as the water brook that hastily runneth through the valleys.

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

for the paths that they go in are crooked: they haste after vain things, and shall perish.

Confounded are they that put any confidence in them: For when they came to obtain the things that they looked for, they were brought to confusion.

Even so are ye also come unto me: but now that ye see my misery, ye are afraid.

"O remember that my life is but a wind, and that mine eye shall no more see the pleasures thereof;

yea, and that none other man's eye shall see me anymore.

For if thou fasten thine eyes upon me, I come to naught like as a cloud is consumed and vanisheth away. Even so, he that goeth down to hell, cometh no more up,

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.

Am I a sea, or a whalefish, that thou keepest me so in prison?

that my soul wisheth rather to be strangled, and my bones to be dead.

"What is man, that thou dost magnify him? And that thou settest thy heart upon him?

Doth God pervert the thing that is lawful? Or, doth the Almighty destroy the thing that is right?

Insomuch, that wherein soever thou hadst little afore, thou shouldest now have great abundance.

"Enquire, I pray thee, of them that have been before thee; and search diligently among thy forefathers.

For we are but of yesterday, and consider not that our days upon earth are but a very shadow.

Even so goeth it with all them that forget God: and even thus also shall the hypocrite's hope come to naught.

"Oftentimes, a thing doth flourish, and men think that it may abide the sunshine. It shooteth forth the branches in its garden,

and it taketh many roots: insomuch that it is like a house of stone.

Lo, thus is it with him that rejoiceth in his own doings: and as for others, they grow out of the earth.

They that hate thee, shall be confounded, and the dwellings of the ungodly shall come to naught."

He is wise of heart, and mighty in strength. Who ever prospered that took part against him?

He removeth the earth out of her place, that her pillars shake withal.

If I had called upon him, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had heard my voice!

As for the world, he giveth it over into the power of the wicked; and he shall cover the faces of the judges thereof. Is it not so? Where is he - or who is he - that can show the contrary?

They are passed away, as the ships that be good under sail, and as the Eagle that hasteth to the prey.

For he that I must give answer unto, and with whom I go to law, is not a man as I am.

that thou makest such inquisition for my wickedness, and searchest out my sin?

Whereas, notwithstanding, thou knowest that I am no wicked person, and that there is no man able to deliver me out of thine hand.

O remember, I beseech thee, how that thou madest me of the mould of the earth, and shalt bring me into dust again.

Thou hast granted me life, and done me good: and the diligent heed that thou tookest upon me hath preserved my spirit.

Though thou hidest these things in thine heart, yet am I sure that thou rememberest them all.

Thou bringest fresh witnesses against me, and thy wrath increasest thou upon me; very many are the plagues that I am in.

Wherefore hast thou brought me out of my mother's womb? O that I had perished, and that no eye had seen me.

Shall not my short life come so soon to an end? O hold thee from me, let me alone, that I may ease myself a little

before I go thither, from whence I shall not turn again. Namely, to that land of darkness and shadow of death:

"Should not he that maketh many words, be answered? Should he that babbleth much, be commended therein?

Wilt thou say unto God, 'The thing that I take in hand is perfect, and I am clean in thy sight'?

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

that he might show thee out of his secret wisdom how manifold his law is! Then shouldest thou know that God had forgotten thee, because of thy sins.

For it is he that knoweth the vanity of men. He seeth their wickedness also; should he not then consider it?

if thou wouldst put away the wickedness which thou hast in hand, so that no ungodliness dwelt in thy house;

Then shouldest thou forget thy misery, and think no more upon it, than upon the waters that run by.

Then mightest thou have comfort, in the hope that thou hast; and sleep quietly, when thou art buried.

Thus, he that calleth upon God, and whom God heareth, is mocked of his neighbour; the godly and innocent man is laughed to scorn.

"The houses of robbers are in wealth and prosperity; and they that maliciously meddle against God, dwell without care: yea, God giveth all things richly with his hand.

What is he, but he knoweth that the hand of the LORD made all these?

Have not the ears pleasure in hearing, and the mouth in tasting the thing that it eateth?

Yea, with God is wisdom and strength - it is he that hath counsel and foreknowledge.